With Work Or Work Parts Movable During Treatment Patents (Class 134/32)
  • Patent number: 11964343
    Abstract: A process of producing optical devices is provided including transferring a first substrate comprising one or more devices to a laser dicing tool, the laser dicing tool including a filamentation stage and a singulation stage. One or more device contours are created on the first substrate in the filamentation stage. The optical devices are singulated from the first substrate along the one or more device contours in the singulation stage. The devices are transferred to storage or for further backend processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Mahendran Chidambaram, Shmuel Erez, Wei-Sheng Lei, John Rusconi
  • Patent number: 11911806
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate cleaning device, an abnormality determination method of a substrate cleaning device, and an abnormality determination program of a substrate cleaning device for determining whether there is an abnormality in a roll cleaning member that is attached. A substrate cleaning device includes: a holder to which a roll cleaning member for cleaning a substrate is attached in a detachable manner; a rotation device which makes the roll cleaning member attached to the holder rotate; a sensor which measures information concerning a vibration of the roll cleaning member during rotation; and a control device which determines, based on a measurement result of the sensor, whether there is an abnormality in the roll cleaning member attached to the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masumi Nishijima, Kunimasa Matsushita, Hiroshi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11804398
    Abstract: A workpiece supporting apparatus capable of preventing a surface of a workpiece from drying out while maintaining a suction force when supporting the workpiece with a Bernoulli chuck is disclosed. The workpiece supporting apparatus includes a Bernoulli chuck configured to generate a suction force by emitting a gas; and a liquid ejection member surrounding the Bernoulli chuck and configured to discharge a liquid around the Bernoulli chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Kashiwagi, Mao Izawa
  • Patent number: 11804386
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for liquid-treating a substrate. An apparatus for treating a substrate includes a liquid treatment chamber that supplies a liquid onto the substrate to liquid-treat the substrate, a drying chamber that removes the remained liquid on the substrate, and a transfer unit that transfers the substrate between the liquid treatment chamber and the drying chamber, wherein the transfer unit includes a hand that supports the substrate, and a weight measuring unit that measures a weight of the remained liquid on the substrate. A weight of a remained liquid on a substrate may be measured by measuring a weight of the substrate while the substrate is transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young Hun Lee, Jae Myoung Lee
  • Patent number: 11798835
    Abstract: Methods for removing an oxide film from a silicon-on-insulator structure are disclosed. The oxide may be stripped from a SOI structure before deposition of an epitaxial silicon thickening layer. The oxide film may be removed by dispensing an etching solution toward a center region of the SOI structure and dispensing an etching solution to an edge region of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GlobalWafers Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Charles R. Lottes, Shawn George Thomas, Henry Frank Erk
  • Patent number: 11738721
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for maintaining the capability for precise navigation of an automated guided vehicle (TFS), comprising the following method features: a) an automated guided vehicle (1) is automatically sent into a testing station (26) for checking and cleaning of its laser scanner; b) the vehicle (1) is moved within the testing station (26) by means of its drive and the position of the vehicle is checked; c) if the positioning is correct, the laser scanner (2) of the vehicle (1) is cleaned; d) the result of the cleaning process is checked; e) and the vehicle (1) drives out of the testing station (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: GRENZEBACH MASCHINENBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Kuehne, Ruediger Geiger, Erwin Herre, Stefan Wilfling
  • Patent number: 11682567
    Abstract: A cleaning system for processing a substrate after polishing includes a sulfuric peroxide mix (SPM) module, at least two cleaning elements, and a plurality of robots. The SPM module includes a sulfuric peroxide mix (SPM) cleaner having a first container to hold a sulfuric peroxide mix liquid and five to twenty first supports to hold five to twenty substrates in the liquid in the first container, and a rinsing station having a second container to hold a rinsing liquid and five to twenty second supports to hold five to twenty substrates in the liquid in the second container. Each of the at least two cleaning elements are configured to process a single substrate at a time. Examples of a cleaning element include a megasonic cleaner, a rotating brush cleaner, a buff pad cleaner, a jet spray cleaner, a chemical spin cleaner, a spin drier, and a marangoni drier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Brown, Ekaterina A. Mikhaylichenko, Brian K. Kirkpatrick
  • Patent number: 11676835
    Abstract: A method includes: supplying a processing liquid to a center position of a substrate surface; shifting a supply position of the processing liquid from the center position to a first eccentric position; holding the supply position of the processing liquid at the first eccentric position and supplying a substitute liquid to a second eccentric position; shifting the supply position of the processing liquid in a direction away from the center position, and shifting a supply position of the substitute liquid to the center position; and supplying the processing liquid to the first eccentric position at a first flow rate, and reducing the flow rate of the processing liquid to a second flow rate after the supply position of the processing liquid starts to be shifted from the first eccentric position in the direction and until the supply position of the substitute liquid reaches the center position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hiroki Sakurai, Kazuki Kosai, Kazuyoshi Shinohara
  • Patent number: 11536156
    Abstract: A device cleans a core engine of a jet engine. The device has: a nozzle installation configured to introduce a cleaning medium into the core engine; a connector configured to connect the device in a rotationally fixed manner to a shaft of a fan of the jet engine; and a line connection configured to supply the cleaning medium, the line connection being connected to the nozzle installation by a rotary coupling. The nozzle installation has first contact faces configured to bear axially on fan blades of the fan, the first contact faces being configured for defined positioning of the nozzle installation relative to the jet engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: LUFTHANSA TECHNIK AG
    Inventors: Dirk Deja, Christian Lutz, Marc Hacker
  • Patent number: 11443961
    Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor device has a housing defining a buffer chamber, a plurality of reactor ports formed in the housing for establishing interfaces with a plurality of process chambers that are to receive a wafer during a fabrication process to fabricate the semiconductor device, a wafer positioning robot positioned within the buffer chamber to transport the wafer between the plurality of process chambers through the plurality of reactor ports, a purge port formed in the housing for introducing a purge gas into the buffer chamber, a pump port formed in the housing for exhausting a portion of the purge gas from the buffer chamber, and a first flow enhancer that directs the purge gas flowing in an axial direction along a longitudinal axis of the purge port into the buffer chamber in a plurality of radial directions relative to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Tsung Lee, Sheng-Chun Yang, Yun-Tzu Chiu, Chao-Hung Wan, Yi-Ming Lin, Chyi-Tsong Ni
  • Patent number: 11389053
    Abstract: An endoscope valve for controlling connection states of a plurality of conduits formed in an endoscope includes: a piston portion; and an attachment member. The piston portion includes a seal portion. A surface of the attachment member facing the seal portion includes a first inner peripheral surface which is axially symmetrical to a central axis of the attachment member and has a diameter smaller than a diameter of an outer periphery of the seal portion, a second inner peripheral surface which is axially symmetrical to the central axis of the attachment member and has a diameter equal to or larger than the diameter of the outer periphery of the seal portion, and a connection surface which is axially symmetrical to the central axis of the attachment member and connects the first inner peripheral surface and the second inner peripheral surface to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuya Saiga
  • Patent number: 11295351
    Abstract: An adaptive communication system integrated into the wash functions of a carwash is provided. The adaptive communication system embodies a programmable input relay board coupled to a digital sound trigger board retrievably storing a plurality of communication events. Each wash function is adapted to transmit an output signal upon being engaged. The programmable input relay board is adapted to receive such output signals and interface with the digital sound trigger board so as to selectively activate one or more of the plurality of communication events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Carwash Marketing Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey Stewart Jones
  • Patent number: 11024519
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotation holding device that holds and rotates a substrate, a liquid supply device including one or more rinse liquid nozzles that are positioned on back surface side of the substrate and supply rinse liquid to peripheral edge portion of back surface of the substrate, a cup that receives the liquid supplied to the substrate, and a control device including circuitry that controls the holding and supply devices. The nozzle is attached to the cup to receive the liquid, and the circuitry controls the holding and supply devices and executes first process in which the holding device varies rotation speed between first and second speeds, and the nozzle supplies the liquid to the peripheral edge portion of the back surface of the substrate such that the liquid cleans peripheral region of the nozzle in the cup and region on outer side of the peripheral region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Akira Fujita
  • Patent number: 11013569
    Abstract: A detachable motor pack, for use with multiple electrical surgical instruments, includes a housing; a plurality of motors retained within the housing; a controller configured to control one or more operations of the plurality of motors; a first interface portion, wherein the first interface portion is configured to releasably attach to a hand-held surgical instrument and to a robotic surgical instrument; and a second interface portion, wherein the second interface portion is configured to releasably attach to a first surgical tool of the hand-held surgical instrument and to a second surgical tool of the robotic surgical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris
  • Patent number: 10786834
    Abstract: A one-step method of cleaning a girth gear set of a mill in preparation for inspection is provided, the method comprising: substantially emptying the mill; inching the gear; spraying a low, very low or non-Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) cleaning formulation at high pressure onto the gear, the cleaning formulation comprising a non-VOC aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent, an extreme pressure lubricant, a fretting wear lubricant, a non-ionic surfactant, and a mixture of non-VOC unsaturated fatty alcohols; and continuing to spray the low or very low VOC cleaning formulation on the gear for sufficient time for the formulation to clean the gear, thereby providing a so cleaned gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Cleansolv International LTD.
    Inventors: Thomas Shumka, Jason Shumka
  • Patent number: 10495161
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to perform brake sweeping procedures on vehicle brakes are described herein. An example apparatus includes a controller to determine when a vehicle has made a turn, compare an angle at which the vehicle has turned to an angle threshold, and schedule a brake sweeping procedure based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Salmon, Alex James, Bang Kim Cao, Donald A. Perlick
  • Patent number: 10141205
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning semiconductor wafer are provided. The apparatus includes a brush module, a swing arm, a rotating actuator and an elevating actuator. The brush module has a brush head for providing mechanical force on a surface of a wafer. An end of the swing arm mounts the brush module. The rotating actuator is connected with the other end of the swing arm. The rotating actuator drives the swing arm to swing across the whole surface of the wafer, which brings the brush head moving across the whole surface of the wafer. The elevating actuator is connected with the other end of the swing arm. The elevating actuator drives the swing arm to rise or descend, which brings the brush module rising or descending. The apparatus cleans the semi-conductor wafer by means of the brush head, which improves the cleaning effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: ACM Research (Shanghai) Inc.
    Inventors: Xi Wang, Cheng Cheng, Jun Wu, Hui Wang
  • Patent number: 9873074
    Abstract: A cleaning system and method of cleaning filters that removes the ash in the plugged regions is disclosed. The filter is subjected to vibrations, which serve to loosen trapped and packed retentate from the filter. The loosened retentate is then captured by a collection bin. The cleaning system can be integral with the intended application, such as within an automobile. In another embodiment, the cleaning system is a separate cleaning station, where the filter is removing from its intended application, cleaned, and then reinstalled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: CTS Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Sappok, Leslie Bromberg
  • Patent number: 9631511
    Abstract: An engine wash system includes a manifold for delivering wash liquid to an engine. The manifold includes an internal engine contour segment shaped to correspond with at least a portion of the engine case at the inlet; a wash delivery segment connected to the internal engine contour segment which follows the engine case curvature in an axial direction and hooks around an outside of the engine case at the inlet; an inlet on the wash delivery segment to receive wash fluid; a nozzle on the wash delivery portion directed to spray into the compressor inlet of the engine; and a guide extending from the pipe and shaped to align the manifold with respect to the engine so that the nozzle sprays into the engine aft of the inlet particle separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: EcoServices, LLC
    Inventors: Robert M. Rice, Kurt Dorshimer, Sebastian Nordlund, Wayne Zadrick
  • Patent number: 9629701
    Abstract: An endodontic instrument servicing system may comprise a socket-forming member that may include spaced wall members that define a socket. An at least partially open-cell foam body may be secured within the socket that is configured for cleaning contaminated instruments. The body may have an indentation force deflection greater than 120 pounds force (lbf) and be configured to substantially grip a rotating contaminated instrument in contact with the body without tearing the foam body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Jordco, Inc.
    Inventors: Hal J. Oien, James B. Johnsen
  • Patent number: 9579695
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cleaning body head unit, a first load detection unit, and a buoyancy imparting unit. In the cleaning body head unit, a cleaning body, a shaft configured to support the cleaning body, a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the shaft, and a base member are integrally retained by a base member. The first load detection unit includes one end connected to the base member of the cleaning body head unit to detect the load received from the cleaning body head unit. The buoyancy imparting unit is connected to the other end of the first load detection unit and imparts buoyancy to the cleaning body head unit via the first load detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kohei Mori, Hirokazu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9440359
    Abstract: A gripping device is described and includes a holder including a base and a conformable jamming element that has a conformable releasable surface-adhesive element secured onto its surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: John Patrick Spicer, Jianying Shi
  • Patent number: 9122177
    Abstract: Provided is a method and apparatus for cleaning a photomask. The photomask including a first region and a second region surrounding the first region, a pattern to be protected disposed on the first region, and a material to be removed exists on the second region. A cleaning liquid is sprayed from an inside region of the second region toward an outer region of the second region to remove the material, and a gas is blown from the first region toward the second region to protect the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yun-song Jeong, Hyung-ho Ko, Sung-jae Han, Kyung-noh Kim, Chan-uk Jeon
  • Patent number: 9103286
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for use of a windshield wiper fluid having a reformulated composition including one or more non-ionic surfactants. The fluid is delivered to the windshield in response to an operator demand for wiping the windshield. The same fluid is also delivered to a cylinder in response to an indication of abnormal cylinder combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Karl Bidner, Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Gopichandra Surnilla, Mark Allen Dearth
  • Patent number: 9023155
    Abstract: An engine wash system for delivering wash liquid to an engine with a lift fan and a main engine, the lift fan including a plurality of inlet guide vanes and a nose cone, and the main engine connected to the lift fan by a shaft, the engine wash system includes a lift fan manifold to deliver wash liquid to the lift fan; and a main engine manifold to deliver wash liquid to the main engine, wherein the lift fan manifold and the main engine manifold can deliver the wash liquid simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: EcoServices, LLC
    Inventors: Kurt Dorshimer, Robert M. Rice, Sebastian Nordlund, Wayne Zadrick
  • Publication number: 20150090295
    Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatus and methods are provided for improved handling of lithography masks including a mask inverter that includes a first contact pad dedicated to inverting masks that have not been cleaned; a second contact pad dedicated to inverting masks that have been cleaned; an actuator coupled to the first and second contact pads and operable to invert the first and second contact pads; and a controller coupled to the actuator and operative to control the actuator. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Edward Ng, Jeffrey C. Hudgens, Ayan Majumdar, Sushant S. Koshti
  • Publication number: 20150090294
    Abstract: In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided for improved handling of lithography masks including loading a mask via a first load port from a first carrier; inverting the mask using a first contact pad; cleaning the mask; inverting the mask using a second contact pad; and unloading the mask via a second load port into a second carrier. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Edward Ng, Jeffrey C. Hudgens, Ayan Majumdar, Sushant S. Koshti
  • Publication number: 20150090303
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of nozzles, a pump configured to pump a fluid through the nozzles, and a manifold configured to arrange the plurality of nozzles to substantially match a shape of a workpiece. Each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles is configured to impinge upon a section of the workpiece with the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jonathan Matthew Lomas, Michelle Fullerton Simpson
  • Patent number: 8980010
    Abstract: In a piezoelectric device, a first electrode and a second electrode are disposed to be opposed to each other on plate surfaces of the piezoelectric device, a first electrode plane of the piezoelectric device is fixedly bonded to a plate surface of a vibrating plate, a piezoelectric material forming the piezoelectric device is polarized in a direction parallel to the first electrode plane, the piezoelectric device is fixed to a base through a second electrode plane of the piezoelectric device, and the piezoelectric device generates a thickness-shear vibration with the fixed second electrode plane being a reference plane. The piezoelectric vibration generated by the piezoelectric device generates a flexural vibration in the vibrating plate, to thereby remove dust adhering to a surface of the vibrating plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Ifuku, Tatsuo Furuta, Hiroshi Saito, Kenichi Takeda
  • Patent number: 8974604
    Abstract: A sewer pipe is cleaned of collected solids by providing a water supply hose at a first location on the pipe and by driving a jet nozzle head to a second location along the pipe using jets directed along the pipe. At the second location the head is changed for a second head attached to a cable and is pulled back to the first location by the hose. The nozzle is then pulled back to the second location by pulling the cable while nozzles directed along the pipe toward the second location drive the solids forwardly to the second location for extraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Inventor: Slawko Morris Baziuk
  • Patent number: 8968484
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording mediums comprising employing a lifting and drying device for cleaning substrates by immersing one or more disk-like substrates with a central hole into a cleaning liquid disposed in a cleaning tank and lifting and drying the substrates, the lifting and drying device including: a hanger mechanism that is inserted through the central hole of the substrates and supports a plurality of the substrates while being hung thereon; an elevation mechanism that elevates the hanger mechanism between a position where the substrates are immersed into the cleaning liquid inside the cleaning tank and a position where the substrates are lifted from the cleaning tank; and an ejection mechanism that is disposed in the cleaning tank and ejects the cleaning liquid from the downside of the hanger mechanism toward the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
    Inventors: Ryuji Sakaguchi, Ryo Tanaka, Norio Oshima
  • Publication number: 20150053242
    Abstract: The cleaning method includes a cleaning step of, in a state in which an upper cleaning liquid 3 is spouted downward from an upper nozzle 2 arranged on an upper side of a work 10 and a lower cleaning liquid 5 is spouted upward from a lower nozzle 4 arranged on a lower side of the work 10, cleaning at least an upper surface of the work 10 among the upper surface of the work and an outer peripheral surface 10b of the work 10 with the upper cleaning liquid 3 and cleaning a lower surface 10c of the work 10 with the lower cleaning liquid 5 by relatively moving the work 10 in a horizontal direction with respect to both the upper nozzle 2 and the lower nozzle 4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Michiya Sunazuka, Tutomu Yanagawa
  • Patent number: 8956465
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a liquid processing method with which, while alleviating a watermark occurring in the surface of a substrate, it is possible to hydrophobize the surface using a hydrophobing gas. [Solution] A substrate (W), retained in substrate retaining parts (21, 22, 23), is rotated and has a liquid compound supplied to the surface thereof, whereby a liquid process is carried out. Next, a rinse liquid is supplied to the surface of the substrate (W) while the substrate (W) is rotated, and the liquid compound is replaced with the rinse liquid. Next, supplying a hydrophobing gas for hydrophobizing the surface of the substrate (W) and supplying the rinse liquid to the surface of the substrate (W) after supplying the hydrophobing gas are repeated alternately, thus hydrophobizing the substrate (W). Next, the rinse liquid is removed by rotating the substrate (W), drying the substrate (W).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Jun Nonaka
  • Patent number: 8940101
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first chamber through which a substrate is conveyed, a second chamber where an oxide film formed on the substrate conveyed from the first chamber is removed; and a third chamber that discharges the substrate conveyed from the second chamber to the outside after rinsing the substrate, wherein the first chamber and the third chamber are disposed on top and on bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Beung-Hwa Jeong, Kwang-Nam Kim, Gyoo-Chul Jo
  • Patent number: 8940102
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods of removing particles from over surfaces of semiconductor substrates. Liquid may be flowed across the surfaces and the particles. While the liquid is flowing, electrophoresis and/or electroosmosis may be utilized to enhance transport of the particles from the surfaces and into the liquid. In some embodiments, temperature, pH and/or ionic strength within the liquid may be altered to assist in the removal of the particles from over the surfaces of the substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Joseph Greeley, Dan Millward, Wayne Huang
  • Patent number: 8940100
    Abstract: Cleaning of a hot dip galvanized steel sheet is conducted by bringing a strip-shaped steel sheet which was treated by surface oxidation in advance into contact with a cleaning liquid for 1 second or more, and then bringing the hot dip galvanized steel sheet into contact with pure water, while continuously transferring the hot dip galvanized steel sheet. The method allows efficiently and fully washing off the acidic solution adhered to the surfaces of the hot dip galvanized steel sheet treated by surface oxidation. The invention also provides an apparatus for cleaning the hot dip galvanized steel sheet to carry out the above cleaning method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Yoneda, Takahiro Sugano
  • Patent number: 8932407
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method is used for performing scrub cleaning of a surface of a substrate. The substrate cleaning method includes rotating a roll cleaning member and a substrate respectively in one direction while keeping the roll cleaning member in contact with the substrate in a cleaning area, and supplying a cleaning liquid to a surface of the substrate to scrub-clean the surface of the substrate in the presence of the cleaning liquid in the cleaning area. The cleaning liquid is supplied initially to an inverse-direction cleaning area of the cleaning area where the relative rotational velocity between the roll cleaning member and the substrate is relatively high, and thereafter to a forward-direction cleaning area of the cleaning area where the relative rotational velocity between the roll cleaning member and the substrate is relatively low while the substrate makes one revolution on a central axis thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoatsu Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 8920571
    Abstract: The present invention includes methods and materials for cleaning materials, particles, or chemicals from a substrate with a brush or pad. The method comprising: engaging a surface of a rotating wafer with an outer circumferential surface of a rotating cylindrical foam roller, the cylindrical foam roller having a plurality of circumferentially and outwardly extending spaced apart nodules extending from the outer surface, each nodule defining a height extending from the outer surface of the cylindrical foam roller to a substrate engagement surface of the nodule, the substrate engagement surface of one or more of the nodules having a rounded configuration; and positioning the cylindrical foam roller on the substrate such that the one or more nodules are positioned to have only the rounded substrate engagement surface contact the substrate such that no linear surface of the one or more nodules contacts the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Entegris, Inc.
    Inventor: Briant Enoch Benson
  • Patent number: 8911561
    Abstract: A method for removing liquid from a surface of a disc includes, rotating the disc article about an axis perpendicular to the disc's main surface, supplying liquid from a supply port, moved across the substrate towards the edge of the disc, onto the rotated disc, supplying a first gas flow through a first gas supply port onto the disc article to an area whose center has a distance to the center of rotational movement of not more than 20 mm, the area being covered with a liquid layer thereby opening the liquid layer at a discrete area, and supplying a second gas flow through a second gas supply port moved across the substrate towards the edge of the substrate onto the rotated disc wherein the distance of the second gas supply port to the center is lower than the distance of the liquid supply port to the center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Harald Kraus, Axel Wittershagen
  • Publication number: 20140360976
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a processing surface of a cylindrical roller disposed in a brush box is described. In one embodiment, a method for processing a substrate is described. The method includes transferring a substrate to a tank, positioning the substrate between two cylindrical rollers disposed in the tank, moving each of the two cylindrical rollers into a first position where a processing surface of each of the cylindrical rollers contacts major surfaces of the substrate, processing the substrate by providing relative motion between at least one of the two cylindrical rollers and the substrate, moving each of the two cylindrical rollers to a second position that is spaced apart from the major surfaces of the substrate, the second position including contacting the processing surface with a conditioning device, and transferring the substrate out of the tank while conditioning the processing surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Sen-Hou KO, Lakshmanan KARUPPIAH
  • Patent number: 8906165
    Abstract: In a substrate processing method according to the present invention, a substrate is first processed using a chemical liquid. Next, the substrate is rinsed by supplying a rinsing liquid thereto while the substrate is being rotated. Thereafter, the substrate is dried while the substrate is being rotated. The drying of the substrate includes reducing a rotating speed of the substrate to a first rotating speed lower than that of the substrate during the rinsing of the substrate, while supplying the rinsing liquid to a central portion of the substrate; moving, from the central portion of the substrate toward a peripheral edge portion thereof, a rinsing liquid supply position to which the rinsing liquid is supplied, after the rotating speed of the substrate has been reduced to the first rotating speed; and supplying a drying liquid to the substrate, after the rinsing liquid supply position has been moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Teruomi Minami, Naoyuki Okamura, Hirotaka Maruyama, Yosuke Kawabuchi
  • Patent number: 8906163
    Abstract: A method of operating one or more back end circuits of a plasma processing system, comprising: prior to a front end module receiving one or more wafers to be processed, receiving preliminary data at a back end circuit, wherein the preliminary data indicates a recipe and a predetermined number, the predetermined number indicating a number of wafers to be processed; determining whether a plasma processing chamber is ready for processing; and if the chamber is ready for processing and via the back end circuit, selecting a load lock, based on the predetermined number, instructing the front end module to pull the one or more wafers into the load lock, enabling the chamber to process a first wafer of the one or more wafers according to the recipe, and subsequent to the processing of the first wafer, instructing the front end module to remove the first wafer from the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Chung-Ho Huang, Cheng-Chieh Lin
  • Patent number: 8900373
    Abstract: A method of cleaning containers in a container cleaning machine, in which the containers are moved in receptacles to a cleaning area, where both the containers and the receptacles are at least partially submerged in a dipping bath of liquid cleaning medium. The containers are positioned such that closed portions of the containers are at an equivalent or higher vertical position than mouth portions of the containers. A nozzle arrangement is used to produce a jet of a cleaning medium which impinges the interior of a corresponding container. The jet has a force which is insufficient to move the container from its resting position in its corresponding container receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Molitor, Klaus Jendrichowski
  • Publication number: 20140338702
    Abstract: A device for washing an array plate having an array of liquid droplets adhered thereto is described. The array of liquid droplets is covered with a hydrophobic medium immiscible with the array of liquid droplets. The device includes a mechanism for draining the hydrophobic medium from the array plate; a mechanism for providing an aqueous wash liquid over the array plate; a mechanism for shaking the array plate in a presence of the aqueous wash liquid; and a mechanism for removing the aqueous wash liquid from the array plate. A method for washing an array plate is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Namyong KIM, Li LI
  • Patent number: 8888925
    Abstract: A nozzle for discharging droplets of a processing liquid for processing a substrate has a main body including a supply port, a drain port, a processing liquid flow passageway connecting the supply port and the drain port, and a plurality of discharge ports from which the processing liquid is discharged. The processing liquid flow passageway includes a plurality of branch flow channels, which branch out between the supply port and the drain port and collect together between the supply port and the drain port. The plurality of discharge ports form a plurality of columns respectively corresponding to the plurality of branch flow channels; and are aligned along and connected to the corresponding branch flow channels. A piezo element applies vibration to the processing liquid flowing through the plurality of branch flow channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanobu Sato, Hiroyuki Yashiki, Mai Yamakawa, Takayoshi Tanaka, Ayumi Higuchi, Rei Takeaki
  • Patent number: 8882930
    Abstract: Provided is a method including the steps of: carrying out a storage process by causing a processing jig, which has a supply opening for supplying a first processing liquid, to be positioned such that a storage space section into which the supply opening is open is sandwiched by the processing jig and the process-target surface, and by storing the first processing liquid in the storage space section; and carrying out a rotation process by supplying the first processing liquid onto the process-target surface from the supply opening, while supplying a second processing liquid onto the outer peripheral part, in a state where the process-target object is being rotated, in the step for carrying out the rotation process, the processing jig being moved along a direction which is not a direction along which the process-target object is being rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Miyanari
  • Patent number: 8882927
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for vehicle windshield washing-wiping and wiper de-icing. Primary nozzles provide washing fluid to the windshield during normal operations and secondary nozzles bathe the wiper arms with washing fluid to de-ice the wipers during a de-icing mode. Washing fluid is drawn from a reservoir and delivered to the nozzles by a pump. When the outside air temperature T is greater than Tc, the critical temperature for ice formation, the wipers and washing-wiping proceed normally with washing fluid delivered to the primary nozzles for windshield washing. When T?Tc and the wipers are not moving, a washer fluid supply line valve delivers washing fluid to the secondary nozzles to de-ice the wipers. The wiper motor, washing fluid pump and valve are operated by a controller based on inputs from wiper position and air temperature sensors, using predetermined information stored in on-board memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Carl E. Fonville, Michael A. Karram
  • Patent number: 8876981
    Abstract: A method of collecting cut hair is disclosed. The steps include providing a vacuum source and a filter assembly having a top piece, a bottom piece, and a filter member. The assembly has a generally circular perimeter. A vacuum is applied to the assembly interior, and the cut hairs are moved through the aperture and into the assembly. The cut hairs are circulated in a collecting vortex and collected on the filter member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Surgical Site Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry H. Panzer
  • Patent number: 8865263
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for reduction in adhesion between wet paper web and roll surfaces in papermaking process are disclosed. The method is particularly useful for improvements in press section roll release.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Solenis Technologies, L.P.
    Inventors: Davit E. Sharoyan, Tien-Feng Ling, Scott T. Schnelle
  • Patent number: 8864912
    Abstract: Internal cleaning of inverted cans includes engaging a can's cylindrical wall with a wall-conforming vacuum or adhesive gripper, causing a spraying unit to travel axially in and out of the can's opening while the can is inverted on a circular conveyor, and using a supporting arm or bottom stop to subject the can to a counterforce against a flushing force from sprayed cleaning medium. This prevents the can from being pressed out of a receptacle in which it sits during cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Timo Jakob, Steffen Kappel, Thomas Stolte