Patents by Inventor Tsunenaga Nakashima

Tsunenaga Nakashima 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: 11865590
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method includes: arranging a substrate within a processing container; spraying gas from a spray port of a gas nozzle arranged within the processing container; causing vertical shock waves, generated by spraying the gas from the gas nozzle, to collide with a main surface of the substrate; and removing particles adhering to the main surface of the substrate, by causing the vertical shock waves to collide with the main surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kyoko Ikeda, Kazuya Dobashi, Tsunenaga Nakashima, Kenji Sekiguchi, Shuuichi Nishikido, Masato Nakajo, Takahiro Yasutake
  • Publication number: 20230402303
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a liquid processing apparatus configured to form a liquid film on a surface of a substrate; a supercritical drying apparatus configured to dry the substrate by replacing the liquid film with a supercritical fluid; a first load-lock apparatus configured to switch an atmosphere around the substrate from a first one of a normal pressure atmosphere and a decompressed pressure atmosphere to a second one thereof on a transfer path of the substrate; a dry-cleaning apparatus configured to dry-clean the surface of the substrate under a decompressed pressure; and a control device configured to perform forming of the liquid film by the liquid processing apparatus, drying of the substrate by the supercritical drying apparatus, switching of the atmosphere around the substrate by the first load-lock apparatus, and dry-cleaning of the substrate by the dry-cleaning apparatus in this order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Tsunenaga Nakashima, Hiroaki Inadomi
  • Patent number: 11630392
    Abstract: In a chemical liquid container replacement device D2 configured to replace a chemical liquid container 50, multiple chemical liquid containers 50 respectively connected to base end sides of chemical liquid supply paths configured to supply chemical liquids, and a nozzle attachment/detachment device 61 is configured to attach/detach the base end side of the chemical liquid supply path with respect to the chemical liquid container 50 of a container arrangement section 60. A loading/unloading port 62 loads a new chemical liquid container 50 for performing a liquid process on a substrate W and unloads a completely used chemical liquid container 50. A container transfer device 7 unloads the completely used chemical liquid container 50 from the container arrangement section 60 toward the loading/unloading port 62 and loads the new chemical liquid containers 50 from the loading/unloading port 62 toward the container arrangement section 60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Tsunenaga Nakashima
  • Publication number: 20230063907
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method includes: arranging a substrate within a processing container; spraying gas from a spray port of a gas nozzle arranged within the processing container; causing vertical shock waves, generated by spraying the gas from the gas nozzle, to collide with a main surface of the substrate; and removing particles adhering to the main surface of the substrate, by causing the vertical shock waves to collide with the main surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Kyoko IKEDA, Kazuya DOBASHI, Tsunenaga NAKASHIMA, Kenji SEKIGUCHI, Shuuichi NISHIKIDO, Masato NAKAJO, Takahiro YASUTAKE
  • Publication number: 20230021035
    Abstract: A linearly moving mechanism includes an internal moving body provided within a case body and configured to be moved in a linear direction, the internal moving body being configured to move an external moving body connected to a connection member protruded from the case body through an opening formed at the case body; a seal belt extending in the linear direction and provided within the case body to close the opening, a first surface side of both end portions of the seal belt in a widthwise direction thereof facing an edge portion of the opening while being spaced apart therefrom; and a deformation suppressing member provided to face a second surface side of the both end portions to suppress deformation of the seal belt, the seal belt being connected to the internal moving body to be moved along with a movement of the internal moving body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Masami Akimoto, Naruaki Iida, Tsunenaga Nakashima, Keisuke Sasaki, Takahiro Yasutake, Kazuya Matsushita, Kousei Ide, Masato Ozeki
  • Publication number: 20220399210
    Abstract: A particle removed from a substrate is suppressed from adhering to the substrate again. A substrate cleaning apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate; a gas nozzle configured to jet a cleaning gas to the substrate on the substrate holder; and a nozzle cover provided to surround the gas nozzle. The cleaning gas is jetted to a decompression chamber of the nozzle cover from the gas nozzle, and a gas cluster configured to remove the particle on the substrate in the decompression chamber is generated. A gas for a gas curtain is jetted from an end portion of the nozzle cover toward the substrate, and the gas curtain is formed between the substrate and the end portion of the nozzle cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventors: Tsunenaga Nakashima, Masami Akimoto
  • Publication number: 20220389574
    Abstract: A particle removed from a substrate is suppressed from adhering to the substrate again. A substrate cleaning apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate; a gas nozzle configured to jet a cleaning gas to the substrate on the substrate holder; and a nozzle cover provided to surround the gas nozzle. The cleaning gas is jetted to a decompression chamber of the nozzle cover from the gas nozzle, and a gas cluster configured to remove the particle on the substrate in the decompression chamber is generated. A gas for a gas curtain is jetted from a holder support of the substrate holder toward the nozzle cover, and the gas curtain is formed between the nozzle cover and the holder support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Tsunenaga Nakashima, Masami Akimoto
  • Patent number: 11504751
    Abstract: A substrate processing device includes a processing container; a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate arranged within the processing container; a gas nozzle configured to spray gas within the processing container; a controller configured to control collision of the gas with the substrate held by the substrate holder. The controller is configured to remove particles adhering to the main surface of the substrate, by causing the vertical shock waves to collide with the main surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kyoko Ikeda, Kazuya Dobashi, Tsunenaga Nakashima, Kenji Sekiguchi, Shuuichi Nishikido, Masato Nakajo, Takahiro Yasutake
  • Publication number: 20220001426
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method includes: arranging a substrate within a processing container; spraying gas from a spray port of a gas nozzle arranged within the processing container; causing vertical shock waves, generated by spraying the gas from the gas nozzle, to collide with a main surface of the substrate; and removing particles adhering to the main surface of the substrate, by causing the vertical shock waves to collide with the main surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Kyoko IKEDA, Kazuya DOBASHI, Tsunenaga NAKASHIMA, Kenji SEKIGUCHI, Shuuichi NISHIKIDO, Masato NAKAJO, Takahiro YASUTAKE
  • Patent number: 10807027
    Abstract: A treatment solution supply apparatus to supply a treatment solution to a treatment solution discharge unit via a supply path that is provided with a filter configured to remove foreign substances in the treatment solution and a tubephragm pump to send the treatment solution, the supply path has an opening/closing valve on an upstream side of the tubephragm pump and the filter, and a suck-back valve on a downstream side of the tubephragm pump and the filter, and includes a control unit to control at least the tubephragm pump, the opening/closing valve, and the suck-back valve, wherein the control unit performs: a control of stopping sending of the treatment solution from the tubephragm pump; and a control of suspending discharge of the treatment solution from the treatment solution discharge unit by operation of the suck-back valve, and then closing the opening/closing valve to stop the discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Katsunori Ichino, Tsunenaga Nakashima, Hideo Funakoshi, Nobuaki Matsuoka, Masayuki Kajiwara
  • Patent number: 10643872
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus including: a plurality of substrate placement regions; a nozzle that supplies a processing liquid to a substrate from each processing position; a nozzle placement region provided behind a row of the substrate placement regions; an arm that detachably holds the nozzle at one end side; a driving unit that horizontally pivots the arm around a pivot axis; and a controller that outputs a control signal to convey the nozzle from the nozzle placement region to a standby position corresponding to a processing position of a conveyance destination, cause the nozzle to stand by at the standby position, and then, convey the nozzle to the processing position. The standby position is outside the substrate placement regions and is located between the processing position and the nozzle placement region when viewed in a front-and-rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Abe, Hiroichi Inada, Tohru Azuma, Tsunenaga Nakashima, Naofumi Kishita, Hideki Kajiwara
  • Publication number: 20200064741
    Abstract: In a chemical liquid container replacement device D2 configured to replace a chemical liquid container 50, multiple chemical liquid containers 50 respectively connected to base end sides of chemical liquid supply paths configured to supply chemical liquids, and a nozzle attachment/detachment device 61 is configured to attach/detach the base end side of the chemical liquid supply path with respect to the chemical liquid container 50 of a container arrangement section 60. A loading/unloading port 62 loads a new chemical liquid container 50 for performing a liquid process on a substrate W and unloads a completely used chemical liquid container 50. A container transfer device 7 unloads the completely used chemical liquid container 50 from the container arrangement section 60 toward the loading/unloading port 62 and loads the new chemical liquid containers 50 from the loading/unloading port 62 toward the container arrangement section 60.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventor: Tsunenaga Nakashima
  • Publication number: 20190076763
    Abstract: A treatment solution supply apparatus to supply a treatment solution to a treatment solution discharge unit via a supply path that is provided with a filter configured to remove foreign substances in the treatment solution and a tubephragm pump to send the treatment solution, the supply path has an opening/closing valve on an upstream side of the tubephragm pump and the filter, and a suck-back valve on a downstream side of the tubephragm pump and the filter, and includes a control unit to control at least the tubephragm pump, the opening/closing valve, and the suck-back valve, wherein the control unit performs: a control of stopping sending of the treatment solution from the tubephragm pump; and a control of suspending discharge of the treatment solution from the treatment solution discharge unit by operation of the suck-back valve, and then closing the opening/closing valve to stop the discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Katsunori ICHINO, Tsunenaga NAKASHIMA, Hideo FUNAKOSHI, Nobuaki MATSUOKA, Masayuki KAJIWARA
  • Patent number: 9984904
    Abstract: An interface station of a coating and developing treatment system has: a cleaning unit cleaning at least a rear surface of a wafer before the wafer is transferred into an exposure apparatus; an inspection unit inspecting the rear surface of the cleaned wafer whether the wafer is exposable, before it is transferred into the exposure apparatus; wafer transfer mechanisms including arms transferring the wafer between the units and a wafer transfer control part controlling operations of the wafer transfer mechanisms. When it is determined that a state of the wafer becomes an exposable state by re-cleaning in the cleaning unit as a result of the inspection, the wafer transfer control part controls the wafer transfer mechanisms to transfer the wafer again to the cleaning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Nakaharada, Yoji Sakata, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida, Tsunenaga Nakashima
  • Patent number: 9984905
    Abstract: An interface station of a coating and developing treatment system has: a cleaning unit cleaning at least a rear surface of a wafer before the wafer is transferred into an exposure apparatus; an inspection unit inspecting the rear surface of the cleaned wafer whether the wafer is exposable, before it is transferred into the exposure apparatus; wafer transfer mechanisms including arms transferring the wafer between the units and a wafer transfer control part controlling operations of the wafer transfer mechanisms. When it is determined that a state of the wafer becomes an exposable state by re-cleaning in the cleaning unit as a result of the inspection, the wafer transfer control part controls the wafer transfer mechanisms to transfer the wafer again to the cleaning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Nakaharada, Yoji Sakata, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida, Tsunenaga Nakashima
  • Publication number: 20170358464
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus including: a plurality of substrate placement regions; a nozzle that supplies a processing liquid to a substrate from each processing position; a nozzle placement region provided behind a row of the substrate placement regions; an arm that detachably holds the nozzle at one end side; a driving unit that horizontally pivots the arm around a pivot axis; and a controller that outputs a control signal to convey the nozzle from the nozzle placement region to a standby position corresponding to a processing position of a conveyance destination, cause the nozzle to stand by at the standby position, and then, convey the nozzle to the processing position. The standby position is outside the substrate placement regions and is located between the processing position and the nozzle placement region when viewed in a front-and-rear direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Masahiro Abe, Hiroichi Inada, Tohru Azuma, Tsunenaga Nakashima, Naofumi Kishita, Hideki Kajiwara
  • Publication number: 20160372345
    Abstract: An interface station of a coating and developing treatment system has: a cleaning unit cleaning at least a rear surface of a wafer before the wafer is transferred into an exposure apparatus; an inspection unit inspecting the rear surface of the cleaned wafer whether the wafer is exposable, before it is transferred into the exposure apparatus; wafer transfer mechanisms including arms transferring the wafer between the units and a wafer transfer control part controlling operations of the wafer transfer mechanisms. When it is determined that a state of the wafer becomes an exposable state by re-cleaning in the cleaning unit as a result of the inspection, the wafer transfer control part controls the wafer transfer mechanisms to transfer the wafer again to the cleaning unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Masahiro NAKAHARADA, Yoji SAKATA, Akira MIYATA, Shinichi HAYASHI, Suguru ENOKIDA, Tsunenaga NAKASHIMA
  • Publication number: 20160372346
    Abstract: An interface station of a coating and developing treatment system has: a cleaning unit cleaning at least a rear surface of a wafer before the wafer is transferred into an exposure apparatus; an inspection unit inspecting the rear surface of the cleaned wafer whether the wafer is exposable, before it is transferred into the exposure apparatus; wafer transfer mechanisms including arms transferring the wafer between the units and a wafer transfer control part controlling operations of the wafer transfer mechanisms. When it is determined that a state of the wafer becomes an exposable state by re-cleaning in the cleaning unit as a result of the inspection, the wafer transfer control part controls the wafer transfer mechanisms to transfer the wafer again to the cleaning unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Masahiro NAKAHARADA, Yoji SAKATA, Akira MIYATA, Shinichi HAYASHI, Suguru ENOKIDA, Tsunenaga NAKASHIMA
  • Patent number: 9460942
    Abstract: An interface station of a coating and developing treatment system has: a cleaning unit cleaning at least a rear surface of a wafer before the wafer is transferred into an exposure apparatus; an inspection unit inspecting the rear surface of the cleaned wafer whether the wafer is exposable, before it is transferred into the exposure apparatus; wafer transfer mechanisms including arms transferring the wafer between the units and a wafer transfer control part controlling operations of the wafer transfer mechanisms. When it is determined that a state of the wafer becomes an exposable state by re-cleaning in the cleaning unit as a result of the inspection, the wafer transfer control part controls the wafer transfer mechanisms to transfer the wafer again to the cleaning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Nakaharada, Yoji Sakata, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida, Tsunenaga Nakashima
  • Patent number: 9287145
    Abstract: In a coating and developing treatment system including a treatment station and an interface station, the interface station has: a cleaning unit cleaning a rear surface of a wafer before the wafer is transferred into an exposure apparatus; an inspection unit inspecting whether the cleaned wafer is in an exposable state; and a wafer transfer mechanism including an arm transferring the wafer between the cleaning unit and the inspection unit. Each of the cleaning unit and the inspection unit is provided at multiple tiers in an up and down direction on the front side in the interface station, and the wafer transfer mechanism is provided in a region adjacent to the cleaning units and the inspection units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Nakaharada, Yoji Sakata, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida, Tsunenaga Nakashima