With Drying Means Patents (Class 134/95.2)
  • Patent number: 11598017
    Abstract: There is provided a method of plating comprising: a process of bringing a sealing portion of a seal provided to prevent a contact of a substrate holder that holds a substrate from coming into contact with a plating solution, into contact with pure water; and a process of detecting a leak of the seal, based on presence or absence of a short circuit of a leak detection electrode placed inside of the substrate holder after the sealing portion is brought into contact with the pure water and before the substrate is brought into contact with a chemical solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoichiro Ogata, Gaku Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 11540695
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a tub forming a washing chamber and a blowing unit that blows air into the tub, where the blowing unit includes a housing having a discharge port, a blowing fan disposed inside the housing, and a valve disposed between the blowing fan and the discharge port to prevent moisture from being introduced into the blowing fan, and the valve is rotated from a closed position to an open position by blowing of the blowing fan and return to the closed position again by an own weight thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Johannes Büsing, Seung Wan Yoo, Ji Sun Yang, Sung Soo Han
  • Patent number: 11410857
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a substrate stage configured to secure a substrate thereon and a motion mechanism configured to rotate the substrate stage. The substrate stage includes a plurality of holding pins for holding an edge of the substrate. Rotating the substrate stage causes a chemical solution dispensed on an upper surface of the substrate to spread outwardly toward the edge of the substrate. At least one of the plurality of holding pins includes at least one opening or at least one tapered side surface, or both, for guiding the chemical solution to flow off the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Lun Chen, Ming-Sung Hung, Po-Jen Shih, Wen-Hung Hsu
  • Patent number: 11387129
    Abstract: A substrate warehouse stores a container housing a substrate, and includes a transfer-in part which allows the container to be mounted thereon when the container is transferred-in from an outside; a transfer-out part which allows the container to be mounted thereon when the container is transferred-out to the outside; and a standby part which allows the container standing by for transfer-out to the outside to be mounted thereon. Also included is a functional part including an inspection that performs processing of inspecting the substrate; a delivery part which allows the container to be mounted thereon when delivering the substrate between the functional part and the container; a container transfer mechanism which transfers the container in the substrate warehouse; and a substrate transfer mechanism which transfers the substrate between the functional part and the container mounted on the delivery part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Takuya Mori
  • Patent number: 11309179
    Abstract: A method for processing a product layer includes providing a dielectric layer over a substrate, etching to remove a portion of the dielectric layer, forming a product layer over the etched dielectric layer, and removing the product layer by providing a dissolving solution and using the dissolving solution to rinse or soak the product layer to dissolve the product layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignees: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation, Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation
    Inventor: Hui Qu
  • Patent number: 11143974
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a reticle pod and an exposure method, the method of cleaning the reticle pod including receiving the reticle pod that includes an inner pod and an outer pod surrounding the inner pod; disassembling the inner pod from the outer pod; inspecting a surface of a base plate of the inner pod to detect defects; performing a local plasma cleaning process at a defect location on the surface of the base plate; performing a wet cleaning process on the inner pod; and reassembling the inner pod to the outer pod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yongseung Moon, Sungyong Cho
  • Patent number: 11084612
    Abstract: Accurate and repeatable portioning of polycrystalline silicon chunks without excessive generation of fines is accomplished by separating silicon chunks into a multiplicity of weighed portions and combining at least four portions which together closely match a target weight into a plastic shipment bag which is then closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: WACKER CHEMIE AG
    Inventors: Matthias Vietz, Werner Lazarus
  • Patent number: 10827905
    Abstract: A dishwasher appliance includes a tub that defines a wash chamber. A door is mounted to the tub for selectively accessing the wash chamber of the tub. A vortex air dryer has four vents and a fan. The four vents are positioned and oriented for forming a vortex air flow in the wash chamber during operation of the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Thiyagarajan Sankaran Veerabhagu, Ramasamy Thiyagarajan, Timothy Kopera
  • Patent number: 10760852
    Abstract: A substrate drying method for drying a front surface of a substrate having a pattern includes a sublimation-agent-liquid-film placing step of placing a liquid film of a liquid sublimation-agent on the front surface of the substrate, a high vapor-pressure liquid placing step of placing a liquid film of a high vapor-pressure liquid that has vapor pressure higher than the sublimation agent and that does not include water on the liquid film of the sublimation-agent placed on the front surface of the substrate, a vaporizing/cooling step of losing vaporization heat in response to vaporization of the high vapor-pressure liquid, and, cooling the sublimation-agent, and, as a result, solidifying the liquid film of the sublimation-agent, and, forming a sublimation-agent film on the front surface of the substrate, and a sublimating step of sublimating the sublimation-agent film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Okutani, Noriyuki Kikumoto, Naohiko Yoshihara, Hiroshi Abe
  • Patent number: 10691020
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for dispensing liquid material, including a dispensing arm, a wafer holder against the dispensing arm, a first nozzle on the dispensing arm, a first distance laterally spacing the first nozzle and a center of the wafer holder, and a first height vertically spacing the first nozzle and a surface of the wafer holder, and a second nozzle on the dispensing arm, a second distance laterally spacing the second nozzle and the center of the wafer holder, and a second height vertically spacing the second nozzle and the surface of the wafer holder, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, and the first height is greater than the second height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Yung-Yao Lee, Chen Yi Hsu
  • Patent number: 10039434
    Abstract: Disclosed is a home appliance provided with a drying apparatus, capable of improving the drying performance. The home appliance includes a body, a dishwashing tub provided in the body and in which a washing operation and a drying operation are conducted, and a drying apparatus provided in the dishwashing tub, and configured to suction air inside the dishwashing tub and discharge the suctioned air to the inside of the dishwashing tub again. The drying apparatus includes a drying duct communicating with the dishwashing tub, a heat pump unit including an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser and an expansion valve, and the evaporator and the condenser are disposed inside the drying duct such that air in the dishwashing tub passes through the evaporator first and then the condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong Ho Park, Eung Ryeol Seo, Hyun Joo Jeon, Jun Kyu Jung, Joo Yong Lee
  • Patent number: 9468355
    Abstract: An automatic dishwasher includes a wash tub, a condensation dryer, and a heat pump device. The wash tub includes a washing compartment, the condensation dryer is adapted to supply outside air to a washtub wall, and the heat pump device is adapted to heat washing liquid. The heat pump device and the condensation dryer have a common fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: MIELE & CIE. KG
    Inventors: Andre Bertram, Tobias Dahms, Michael Reilmann
  • Patent number: 9307653
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method is capable of preventing a liquid stream on a substrate from being cut and circuit patterns thereon from being damaged. The substrate cleaning method includes a liquid film forming process that forms a liquid film on an entire substrate surface by supplying a cleaning liquid L from a central portion of the substrate W toward a peripheral portion thereof while rotating the substrate; a drying region forming process that discharges a gas G on the substrate surface and removes the cleaning liquid on the substrate surface; and a residual liquid removing process that removes the cleaning liquid remaining between the circuit patterns by discharging a gas G while moving in a diametrical direction of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kousuke Yoshihara, Keiichi Tanaka, Hiroshi Ichinomiya
  • Patent number: 9236279
    Abstract: A method and system for cleaning a surface of a substrate after an etching operation includes determining a plurality of process parameters associated with the surface of the substrate. A plurality of application chemistries are identified based on the process parameters. The plurality of application chemistries includes a first application chemistry as an emulsion having a first immiscible liquid combined with a second immiscible liquid and solid particles distributed within the first immiscible liquid. The plurality of application chemistries including the first application chemistry are applied to the surface of the substrate such that the combined chemistries enhance the cleaning process by substantially removing the particulate and polymer residue contaminants from the surface of the substrate while preserving the characteristics of the features and of the low-k dielectric material through which the features are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Seokmin Yun, Ji Zhu, John M. deLarios, Mark Wilcoxson
  • Patent number: 9080812
    Abstract: A device (5), arranged for fluid communication with a washing chamber (2) of a dish washer (1), the device (5) comprising a duct (6) arranged to allow a flow of air (9) between the washing chamber (2) and the device (5), a drying material (10) arranged in a bed (11) wherein the back side of the bed (11) is provided adjacent a side of the duct (6), the bed (11) being arranged for a flow of air (9) adjacent and parallel to the front side of the bed (11), the drying material (10) being able to withdraw moisture from the air flowing adjacent and parallel to the front side of the bed (11) during a withdrawal step, and release moisture to the air at the front side of the bed (11) during a regeneration step, a heating element (13) for heating the drying material (10) during the regeneration step, and a fan (14), arranged to circulate the air between the device (5) and the washing chamber (2), thereby generating the flow of air (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Dreossi, Bernd Krische
  • Publication number: 20150122290
    Abstract: In order to reduce the fresh water or final-rinse liquid quantity necessary to clean items without impairing the effectiveness of the cleaning, it is provided that, during an adsorption phase, air is led out of the treatment chamber of the machine through a sorption unit such that moisture is absorbed from the air flow by a dry material, after which the air is fed back to the treatment chamber. During a desorption phase, the dry material is heated and air is led out of the treatment chamber through the heated dry material such that moisture is desorbed from the dry material and at least a part of the desorbed moisture is discharged as steam from the sorption unit. At least a part of the steam discharged from the sorption unit is led into the treatment chamber during a steam final-rinse phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Harald Disch, Dietrich Berner, Allen Jakway, Peter Maier-Laxhuber, Ralf Schmidt, Reiner Worz
  • Patent number: 9023156
    Abstract: Provided is a dish washer. The dish washer includes a tub configured to accommodate dishes, a sump configured to supply water to the tub, and a water supply device configured to supply water received from an outer source to the sump or the tub. The water supply device includes a body and a plurality of discharge parts. The body includes a water supply passage along which water supplied from an outer source flows and a water chamber in which water supplied through the water supply passage is stored. Water is discharged from the water supply passage to the water chamber through the discharge parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jungyoup Han, Jaechul Lee, Yongjin Choi
  • Publication number: 20150101642
    Abstract: Systems and methods for washing produce to achieve an approximate 5 log colony-forming unit (CFU) reduction of foodborne pathogens per unit of produce are disclosed. In an example embodiment of the disclosed technology, a method includes rinsing the produce. Further, a method may include cleaning or soaking the produce in a cleaning solution. A method may include draining the cleaning solution to remove organic material. A method may further comprise sanitizing the produce, which may include soaking and/or agitating the produce in a sanitizing solution for a predetermined period of time. Finally, a method may comprise draining any remaining solution and drying the produce to remove solution from the surface of the produce.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: C. Harold King
  • Patent number: 8997684
    Abstract: A method for meniscus processing a substrate is provided. The method initiates with generating a meniscus spanning at least a length of the substrate. A pre-wetting liquid or vapor is dispensed. A substrate is moved through the dispensed pre-wetting liquid or vapor and the meniscus. The dispensed pre-wetting vapor condenses a pre-wetting liquid over a region of the substrate adjacent to a region of the substrate where the meniscus is generated. The pre-wetting liquid is deposited without substantially generating surface flow of the pre-wetting liquid on the substrate, and the pre-wetting liquid prevents the leading edge of the meniscus from contacting a dry surface region of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Enrico Magni, Suresh Gupta, Mark Gahagan, Eric Lenz, Mike Ravkin
  • Publication number: 20150090299
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a module is provided that is configured to clean, rinse and dry a substrate. The module includes (1) a tank having an upper tank region positioned above a lower tank region, the upper tank region having (a) an opening through which a substrate is removed from the tank; (b) a first fluid supply configured to supply a first fluid to a surface of a substrate being removed from the tank; and (c) a first suction mechanism, positioned below the first fluid supply, wherein the first suction mechanism is configured to suction fluid supplied from the first fluid supply so as to deter the suctioned fluid from reaching the lower tank region; and (2) a drying vapor supply positioned above the first fluid supply and configured to supply a drying vapor to a surface of a substrate being removed from the tank. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Brian J. Brown, Ekaterina Mikhaylichenko, Jonathan Frankel
  • Publication number: 20150090297
    Abstract: A substrate processing device 10 has a water removing unit 110 and, when a solvent supply unit 58 supplies a volatile solvent to a surface of a substrate W, the water removing unit 110 supplies a water removing agent to the surface of the substrate W to promote replacement of the cleaning water on the surface of the substrate W with the volatile solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun MATSUSHITA, Yuji NAGASHIMA, Konosuke HAYASHI, Kunihiro MIYAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20150090298
    Abstract: In a substrate processing device 10, a magnetic field forming unit is added to a solvent supply unit 58. The magnetic field forming unit 100 applies a magnetic field to a surface of a substrate W on which a cleaning liquid and a volatile solvent coexist. The magnetic field forming unit stirs and mixes the cleaning liquid and the volatile solvent on the surface of the substrate W to promote replacement of the cleaning liquid with the volatile solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHANTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji NAGASHIMA, Jun MATSUSHITA, Yuki SAITO, Konosuke HAYASHI, Kunihiro MIYAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20150090296
    Abstract: A substrate processing device 100 includes a solvent replacing unit (organic solvent supply unit 15 and solvent supply unit 34) replacing a cleaning liquid with a volatile solvent of a low concentration, and thereafter further performing replacement with a volatile solvent of a high concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji NAGASHIMA, Jun MATSUSHITA, Konosuke HAYASHI, Kunihiro MIYAZAKI, Masaaki FURUYA, Hidehito AZUMANO, Toyoyasu TAUCHI
  • Publication number: 20150090293
    Abstract: A method of washing a bulk container is provided. The method includes receiving the bulk container on a support surface and rotating the support surface and at least one washer arm relative to one another. The method further includes spraying a fluid from at least one nozzle disposed on the at least one washer arm. Rotating the support surface and the at least one washer arm relative to one another exposes a plurality of portions of an outer surface of the bulk container to the spray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Lonny Shawn Lewis
  • Patent number: 8978671
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a processing liquid supply unit; a volatile processing liquid supply unit; a substrate heating unit; and a controller to control the volatile processing liquid supply unit and the substrate heating unit, wherein the controller executes a process of supplying the processing liquid to the substrate, a process of heating the substrate on which a liquid film of the processing liquid is formed, a process of supplying a volatile processing liquid, a process of stopping the supply of the volatile processing liquid, and a process of drying the substrate by removing the volatile processing liquid, and wherein the process of heating the substrate starts before the process of supplying the volatile processing liquid, and the substrate heating unit heats the substrate so that the surface temperature of the substrate is higher than a dew point before the surface of the substrate is exposed from the volatile processing liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Satoru Tanaka, Takehiko Orii, Hirotaka Maruyama, Teruomi Minami, Mitsunori Nakamori
  • Publication number: 20150034132
    Abstract: The invention proposes a domestic appliance having a drying apparatus, such as a dishwasher, a tumble dryer, a washing machine or the like, wherein the drying apparatus (8) has a contact space (8, 14) for establishing contact between drying air which originates from a working space (11) in the domestic appliance and a hygroscopic liquid (4) which is provided for drying purposes, in which domestic appliance effective drying is possible in a comparatively short time. According to the invention, this is achieved in that at least one nozzle (15, 16) for atomizing the hygroscopic liquid (4) in the contact chamber (8, 14) and/or for sprinkling the hygroscopic liquid (4) in the contact chamber (8, 14) is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: Heinz-Dieter Eichholz
  • Patent number: 8944078
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus capable of drying a substrate to be processed while suppressing a pattern collapse or occurrence of contamination. In a processing vessel, a substrate is immersed in a liquid in the longitudinal direction, and the liquid is pushed out by a substitution fluid of a supercritical state to be discharged from the processing vessel. Thereafter, the substitution fluid subjected to the substitution with the liquid is discharged from the processing vessel to depressurize the processing vessel, and the substitution fluid is changed from the supercritical state to a gaseous state to dry the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Yuji Kamikawa
  • Publication number: 20150027503
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus for performing liquid processing with respect to a substrate using processing fluid, includes: a plurality of substrate holding units arranged side by side in a left-right direction; a nozzle configured to supply the processing fluid to the substrate held in each of the substrate holding units; and a nozzle moving mechanism configured to move the nozzle forward and backward in a front-rear direction intersecting an arrangement direction of the substrate holding units between a supplying position in which the processing fluid is supplied to a region including a central portion of the substrate and a waiting position which is defined at a rear side of a row of the substrate holding units opposite to a front side of the row of the substrate holding units at which the substrate is loaded and unloaded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Yasushi TAKIGUCHI, Koki YOSHIMURA, Taro YAMAMOTO, Hideharu KYOUDA, Koshi MUTA
  • Publication number: 20150020850
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises: a liquid film former which forms a liquid film by supplying a liquid on an upper surface of the substrate W held horizontally; a cooling gas discharge nozzle which discharges cooling gas of a temperature lower than a freezing point of the liquid forming the liquid film to the liquid film; a thawing liquid discharge nozzle which discharges a thawing liquid to a frozen film formed by freezing the liquid film; a thawing liquid supplier which supplies the heated thawing liquid to the thawing liquid discharge nozzle via a pipe; and a receiver which receives the cooling gas and the thawing liquid respectively discharged from the cooling gas discharge nozzle and the thawing liquid discharge nozzle at the respective retracted position and guides the cooling gas and the thawing liquid to a common flow passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Masahiko KATO, Katsuhiko MIYA, Hiroyuki YASHIKI
  • Publication number: 20150000711
    Abstract: An apparatus for drying of wet substrates in a post CMP cleaning apparatus is provided. The apparatus provides a waterfall or shallow reservoir of rinsing solution, such as DIW, through which a substrate may be lifted. A solvent vapor may be provided at the rinsing solution interface on the substrate, such as in a Marangoni process. In certain embodiments, the volume of solution through which the substrate is lifted is reduced, which may provide for reduced or eliminated particle reattachment to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian J. BROWN
  • Publication number: 20140374046
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes at least one cleaning nozzle that generates and directs a high-pressure liquid jet towards a point of impact on a surface, such as a conveyor belt having a drying screen. A cleaning head has a main opening that faces towards the surface, a discharge opening and a wall with at least one inlet opening defined therein. The at least one cleaning nozzle is disposed outside of the cleaning head and is oriented such that the high-pressure liquid jet passes through the at least one inlet opening before striking the surface. At least one first compressed air supplying device is disposed outside of the cleaning head and is configured to steer liquid from the at least one cleaning nozzle, after it has struck the surface, towards the main opening of the cleaning head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Roman Caspar
  • Patent number: 8905051
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method that can prevent a substrate in a processing chamber from being contaminated due to contaminants attached to a nozzle supporting arm. The liquid processing apparatus includes a processing chamber in which a substrate holder holding a substrate and a cup disposed around the substrate holder are provided; a nozzle configured to supply a fluid to the substrate held by the substrate holder; and a nozzle supporting arm configured to support the nozzle. A gas ejection mechanism is installed at the nozzle supporting arm to eject a gas toward a front end surface of the nozzle supporting arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Jiro Higashijima
  • Publication number: 20140338707
    Abstract: A cleaning device for a laboratory fermenter for growing microorganisms is provided. The laboratory fermenter to be cleaned has a gas supply connection connected to a line reaching into the fermenter's nutrient solution, an exhaust connection to the gas space over the nutrient solution, and a withdrawal connection leading to the fermenters deepest point. The cleaning device includes three cleaning connections, an immersion pipe connection and two gas connections. Flow in each gas connection is controlled via intermediate switch valves having a cleaning start position and a cleaning end position. The cleaning connections are connected via hose lines to hose pinch control valves, a hose pinch pump, at least one filter. A cleaning control manages the cleaning process by controlling flow from and/or to an air connection, a water connection and a waste water connection. The cleaning controller may also control introduction of acids and/or bases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Infors AG
    Inventors: Dieter CUENI, Daniel EGGER
  • Publication number: 20140338706
    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: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Jun Nonaka
  • Patent number: 8857449
    Abstract: A rinsing liquid adheres in a piled up state to the entire front surface of the substrate which is rinsed with the rinsing liquid discharged from a rinse nozzle, thereby forming a so-called puddle-like rinse layer. An opposed surface of a proximity block is positioned in the vicinity of a front surface of a substrate and a liquid-tight layer is formed in a gap space between the opposed surface and the front surface of the substrate. In a condition that the liquid-tight layer is formed, the proximity block moves in the moving direction, and a solvent gas containing a solvent component, which dissolves in the liquid to reduce a surface tension, is supplied toward an upstream-side edge of the liquid-tight layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Miya
  • Patent number: 8858723
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for integrated cleaning of objects comprising a sequence of wet cleaning and vacuum drying in a same process chamber. The present integrated cleaning process can eliminate moving parts, improving the system reliability. Vacuum decontamination can be included for degassing and decontaminating the cleaned objects. In an embodiment, a cleaner system combines various movements into an integrated movement to be handled by a robot, for example, to improve the throughput. For example, an integrated robot movement comprising picking up a closed container from the input load port, moving both the lid and body together, and then depositing the body and lid separately into the appropriate positions in the cleaner to be cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignees: Dynamic Micro System, Semiconductor Equipment GmbH
    Inventor: Lutz Rebstock
  • Publication number: 20140299157
    Abstract: The present invention provides a cleaning method for an electing head of an alignment film printer, which is used automatically to clean up the ejection head of the alignment film printer, comprising the following steps: spraying a dissolving liquid to the ejection head of the alignment film printer at a specific time according to a specific moving path to dissolve droplets coagulated on the nozzles of the ejection head, and the dissolving liquid sprayed to cover all the ejection heads of the alignment film printer; proceeding with a vacuum suction according to the moving path to remove the dissolving liquid covered on the surface of the ejection head. The present invention further provides a cleaning device for an electing head of an alignment film printer. The cleaning method and device for the ejection head of the alignment film printer according to the present invention can prevent effectively the ejection head of the alignment film printer from clogging because of dry drip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yu Song
  • Publication number: 20140299161
    Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing method including: supplying a developing liquid to a surface of an exposed substrate to form a resist pattern; supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the substrate to remove a residue generated in the developing step from the substrate; supplying a replacing liquid to the surface of the substrate to replace the cleaning liquid existing on the substrate with the replacing liquid, the replacing liquid having a surface tension of 50 mN/m or less and containing a percolation inhibitor for restraining the replacing liquid from percolating into a resist wall portion constituting the resist pattern; and forming a dry region by supplying a gas to a central portion of the substrate while rotating the substrate so as to dry the surface of the substrate by expanding the dry region to a peripheral edge portion of the substrate with a centrifugal force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Keiichi TANAKA, Kousuke YOSHIHARA, Tomohiro ISEKI
  • Publication number: 20140261554
    Abstract: In a substrate processing device 10 having a heating and drying unit 103 for drying a surface of a substrate W, the heating and drying unit 103 heats upward a vertically downward surface of the substrate W to dry the surface of the substrate by dropping and removing, by gravity, the droplets of the volatile solvent formed on the surface of the substrate W by the heating operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Konosuke HAYASHI, Masaaki FURUYA, Takashi OOTAGAKI, Yuji NAGASHIMA, Atsushi KINASE, Masahiro ABE
  • Publication number: 20140261566
    Abstract: A substrate processing device 10 includes a suction drying unit 65 drying a surface of a substrate W by absorbing and removing a liquid droplet of volatile solvent formed on the surface of the substrate W by a heating operation of a heating unit 64.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Konosuke HAYASHI, Masaaki FURUYA, Takashi OOTAGAKI, Yuji NAGASHIMA, Atsushi KINASE, Masahiro ABE
  • Publication number: 20140261557
    Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, an ejection surface of an ejection head located at a standby position is immersed in an immersion liquid retained in a reservoir during standby of the ejection head. This prevents drying of a plurality of outlets provided in the ejection head and drying of processing liquid flow passages that communicate with the outlets. It is thus possible to suppress or prevent clogging of the fine outlets. When the ejection head resumes processing on a substrate, the immersion liquid in the reservoir is discharged and then a liquid removing part removes the immersion liquid adhering to the ejection surface. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the immersion liquid remaining on the ejection surface from dropping and adhering to the substrate (so-called “liquid dripping”) when, for example, the ejection head is moved to a position above the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG. CO., LTD
    Inventors: Kota SOTOKU, Hiroyuki Yashiki, Masanobu Sato
  • Patent number: 8832960
    Abstract: An apparatus for purge to prevent AMC & natural oxide includes an FOUP configured to contain wafers and to have a receipt supply hole for supplying gas and a receipt discharge hole for discharging the gas at a lower part of the FOUP; stage units each configured to have the FOUP separated therefrom or seated therein, to support the seated FOUP, and to have a gas supply hole for supplying the gas at a position corresponding to the receipt supply hole and a gas discharge hole for discharging the gas at a position corresponding to the receipt discharge hole; a first gas supply port unit disposed in response to the gas supply hole and configured to supply the gas to the FOUP; and a first gas discharge port unit disposed in response to the gas discharge hole and configured to discharge the gas from the FOUP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: LS TEC Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bong-Ho Kim
  • Publication number: 20140251386
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a processing apparatus includes a rinsing section configured to rinse a processing liquid on a surface of a workpiece with a rinse liquid and a drying section configured to dry the surface of the workpiece. The drying section includes a chamber, a nozzle provided inside the chamber and configured to jet a gas toward the surface of the workpiece, an air flow control unit provided between the rinsing section and a space inside the chamber provided with the nozzle, and a plurality of transport rollers arranged along a transport direction of the workpiece. The air flow control unit includes a first opening provided on a side of receiving the workpiece and a second opening provided on a side of releasing the workpiece. Opening area of the second opening is smaller than opening area of the first opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shinichi Sasaki, Katsuyuki Soeda, Yukinobu Nishibe
  • Patent number: 8826925
    Abstract: An exemplary cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning member, a connecting member, a drying member, and a workpiece holder. The connecting member includes a main housing defining two opposite surfaces and two blocks received in the main housing. The main housing defines a first chamber and two second chambers communicating with the first chamber, each of the second chambers extending through to one of the two opposite surfaces and near to the other opposite surface. The cleaning member and the drying member are connected to the two opposite surfaces and communicate with each other via the first chamber. The two blocks are movable between the first chamber the second chambers, respectively. Each block defines an engaging surface, facing the other engaging surface. When the blocks move into the first chamber and the engaging surfaces engage with each other, the blocks shut off communication between the cleaning member and the drying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shao-Kai Pei
  • Patent number: 8813764
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods and systems for physically confining a liquid medium applied over a semiconductor wafer include a first and a second chemical head that are disposed to cover at least a portion of a top and an underside surface of the semiconductor wafer. Each of the first and the second chemical heads include an angled inlet conduit at a leading edge of the respective chemical heads to deliver liquid chemistry into a pocket of meniscus in a single phase. The pocket of meniscus is defined over the portion of the top and underside surface of the semiconductor wafer covered by the chemical heads and is configured to receive and contain the liquid chemistry applied to the surface of the semiconductor wafer as a meniscus. A step is formed at a leading edge of the first and second chemical heads along an outer periphery of the pocket of meniscus to substantially confine the meniscus of the liquid chemistry within the pocket of meniscus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Enrico Magni, Eric Lenz
  • Publication number: 20140174482
    Abstract: In one embodiment, after rinsing a semiconductor substrate having a fine pattern formed thereon with pure water, the pure water staying on the semiconductor substrate is substituted with a water soluble organic solvent, and then, the semiconductor substrate is introduced into a chamber in a state wet with the water soluble organic solvent. Then, the water soluble organic solvent is turned into a supercritical state by increasing a temperature inside of the chamber. Thereafter, the inside of the chamber is reduced in pressure while keeping the inside of the chamber at a temperature enough not to liquefy the pure water (i.e., rinsing pure water mixed into the water soluble organic solvent), and further, the water soluble organic solvent in the supercritical state is changed into a gaseous state, to be discharged from the chamber, so that the semiconductor substrate is dried.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yohei Sato, Hisashi Okuchi, Hiroshi Tomita, Hidekazu Hayashi, Yukiko Kitajima
  • Patent number: 8758525
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a cabinet, a washing tub provided in the cabinet, a condensation duct to cool air in the washing tub and to discharge the cooled air outside of the dishwasher and having a guide duct to divide the cool external air and to mix divided parts of the cool external air with the air in the washing tub in stages, and a fan assembly to introduce the air in the washing tub and cool external air into the condensation duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 8757177
    Abstract: A first application of a cleaning material is made to a surface of a substrate. The cleaning material includes one or more viscoelastic materials for entrapping contaminants present on the surface of the substrate. A first application of a rinsing fluid is made to the surface of the substrate so as to rinse the cleaning material from the surface of the substrate. The first application of the rinsing fluid is also performed to leave a residual thin film of the rinsing fluid on the surface of the substrate. A second application of the cleaning material is made to the surface of the substrate having the residual thin film of rinsing fluid present thereon. A second application of the rinsing fluid is then made to the surface of the substrate so as to rinse the cleaning material from the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Arnold Kholodenko, Katrina Mikhaylichenko, Cheng-Yu (Sean) Lin, Mark Wilcoxson, Leon Ginzburg, Mark Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20140144464
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate includes supplying a treatment solution which includes a volatile component onto the front surface of a substrate, solidifying or curing the treatment solution through vaporization of the volatile component of the treatment solution such that a treatment film is formed on the entire portion of the front surface of the substrate, treating a different surface of the substrate while the entire portion of the front surface of the substrate is covered with the treatment film, and supplying to the substrate a removal solution which removes the treatment film in the amount sufficient such that the treatment film covering the entire portion of the front surface of the substrate is removed substantially in entirety after the treating of the different surface of the substrate is finished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Miyako Kaneko, Takehiko Orii, Itaru Kanno
  • Publication number: 20140137902
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotary cup that is provided at a substrate holding unit to surround a substrate held thereon and to be rotated along with the substrate holding unit, and configured to guide a processing liquid dispersed from the substrate; and an outer cup that is provided around the rotary cup with a gap therebetween and configured to collect the guided processing liquid by the rotary cup. Further, a height of an upper end of the rotary cup is higher than that of the outer cup. Furthermore, an outward protrusion protruded outwards in a radial direction thereof and extended along a circumference thereof is provided at an upper end portion of an outer surface of the rotary cup, and the outward protrusion blocks mist of the processing liquid dispersed from the gap between the rotary cup and the outer cup toward a space above the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Aiura, Norihiro Ito, Hidetoshi Nakao, Kazuyoshi Shinohara, Satoru Tanaka, Yuki Yoshida, Meitoku Aibara