Patents Assigned to Tokyo Electron Limited
  • Patent number: 11858092
    Abstract: A substrate processing method of thinning a substrate having a protective tape attached on a front surface thereof includes measuring a thickness of the protective tape; and grinding, by using a grinder, a rear surface of the substrate held by a substrate holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Munehisa Kodama, Takahiro Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 11862439
    Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, a processing chamber accommodating the substrate is provided. A mounting table is disposed in the processing chamber and configured to attract and hold the substrate using an electrostatic attractive force. A charge amount measurement unit is disposed in the processing chamber and configured to measure charge amount of a substrate attraction surface of the mounting table. A charge neutralization mechanism is configured to neutralize the substrate attraction surface of the mounting table. A retreating mechanism is configured to make the charge amount measurement unit retreat from a measurement position facing the substrate attraction surface of the mounting table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Kawawa, Hideomi Hosaka, Kouichi Nakajima, Masamichi Hara
  • Patent number: 11862438
    Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus, a mounting table includes a heater for adjusting a temperature of a mounting surface mounting thereon a consumable part consumed by plasma processing. A heater control unit controls a supply power to the heater such that the heater reaches a setting temperature. A measurement unit measures, while controlling the supply power to the heater such that the temperature of the heater becomes constant, the supply powers in a non-ignition state where plasma is not ignited and in a transient state where the supply power is decreased after the plasma is ignited. A parameter calculation unit calculates a thickness of the consumable part by performing fitting with a calculation model, which has the thickness of the consumable part as a parameter and calculates the supply power in the transient state, by using the measured supply powers in the non-ignition state and in the transient state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Shinsuke Oka
  • Patent number: 11862489
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a rotary stage configured to hold a substrate; a rotary driver configured to rotate the rotary stage around a rotation axis; at least one electric heater installed in the rotary stage; at least one power receiving coil installed in the rotary stage and electrically connected to the electric heater; at least one power feeding coil installed to face the power receiving coil in a direction of the rotation axis with a gap between the power feeding coil and the power receiving coil; and a radio-frequency power supply unit configured to supply radio-frequency power to the power feeding coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Morita, Kouzou Kawahara
  • Patent number: 11862485
    Abstract: A nozzle standby device configured to allow a nozzle to stand by therein includes a nozzle accommodation unit, having an inner circumferential surface formed to surround a leading end portion of the nozzle, provided with a drain opening facing a discharge opening of the nozzle; and a solvent discharge opening opened within the nozzle accommodation unit. The nozzle accommodation unit has a diameter reducing portion having a first and a second inner circumferential surfaces having different angles with respect to a center line of the nozzle accommodation unit such that an inner diameter of the diameter reducing portion becomes smaller toward the drain opening. An intersection point of two straight lines extending along two opposite portions of the first inner circumferential surface is located above the discharge opening of the nozzle when the leading end portion of the nozzle is placed in the diameter reducing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimmura, Kohei Kawakami, Hiroichi Inada, Koji Takayanagi
  • Patent number: 11860542
    Abstract: A liquid treatment apparatus includes: a substrate holder for holding a substrate; a discharge nozzle for discharging a treatment liquid onto the substrate; a liquid supply pipe for supplying the treatment liquid from a treatment liquid storage source to the discharge nozzle; a gas pipe that encompasses the liquid supply pipe and through which an inert gas for adjusting the temperature of the treatment liquid flows in a space between the gas pipe and the liquid supply pipe; a processing container in which the substrate holder, the discharge nozzle, the liquid supply pipe, and the gas pipe are provided; and an atmosphere gas supply part for supplying an atmosphere gas into the processing container. The gas pipe is provided so that an extension portion between an upstream end inside the processing container and an encompassing portion is folded back inside the processing container in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takashi Yamauchi, Daiki Shibata, Kohei Kawakami
  • Patent number: 11862441
    Abstract: A plasma processing method includes providing a substrate having a recess is provided in a processing container; generating plasma in the processing container to form a film on the recess; monitoring a state of the plasma generated in the generating; and determining necessity of re-execution of the generating and processing conditions for the re-execution based on the monitored plasma state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hironari Sasagawa, Sho Kumakura
  • Patent number: 11862506
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a substrate processing module, an atmospheric substrate transfer module, a first and a second vacuum substrate transfer module, a load lock module, and a vacuum substrate transfer robot. The first vacuum substrate transfer module having a first transfer space is disposed adjacent to the atmospheric substrate transfer module and the substrate processing module. The second vacuum substrate transfer module, having a second transfer space in communication with the first transfer space and external dimensions smaller than those of the first vacuum substrate transfer module in a plan view, is disposed on or under the first vacuum substrate transfer module. The load lock module is disposed between the atmospheric substrate transfer module and the second vacuum substrate transfer module. The vacuum substrate transfer robot is disposed in the first transfer space or the second transfer space to transfer a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norihiko Amikura, Masatomo Kita
  • Patent number: 11862486
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit 31 configured to hold a substrate W; an outer nozzle 45 configured to discharge a processing liquid toward a surface of the substrate from a position at an outside of an outer edge of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit such that at least a central portion of the surface of the substrate is covered with a liquid film of the discharged processing liquid; and an actuator 46 (90) configured to change a height position or a discharge angle of the outer nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuki Kosai, Yoshihiro Kai, Gentaro Goshi, Hiroshi Komiya, Seiya Fujimoto, Takahisa Otsuka
  • Patent number: 11862488
    Abstract: A substrate stage includes: a stage body having a substrate placing surface on which a substrate is placed in a processing apparatus that performs a processing on the substrate; and a thermocouple configured to detect a temperature near the substrate placing surface of the stage body. The thermocouple includes a temperature measuring unit formed by stacking a first metal film and a second metal film, on a surface on a side of the substrate placing surface of the stage body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masamichi Hara, Yasuyuki Kagaya
  • Patent number: 11862483
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes performing a liquid processing, detecting a temperature, generating temperature distribution information and determining whether a result of the liquid processing is good or bad. The liquid processing is performed on a substrate by using a processing unit. A temperature of a central portion of the substrate and a temperature of an edge portion of the substrate in the liquid processing are detected by using multiple sensors provided in the processing unit. The temperature distribution information indicating an in-surface temperature distribution of the substrate in the liquid processing is generated based on one or more parameter values defining a processing condition for the liquid processing and the temperature of the central portion of the substrate and the temperature of the edge portion of the substrate. Whether the result of the liquid processing is good or bad is determined based on the temperature distribution information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Hiroshi Marumoto
  • Patent number: 11862496
    Abstract: A substrate processing control method in a substrate processing apparatus, includes: acquiring a data set for each substrate sequentially subjected to first and second processes at first and second levels, the data set including information specifying the first level at which the first process has been performed, information specifying the second level at which the second process has been performed and information about a characteristic amount relating to characteristics of the substrate; calculating information including an expected value of the characteristic amount, and level deviations of the first and second levels to the expected value based on the data set; and correcting the first parameter at the first level or the second parameter at the second level based on the calculated information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toyohisa Tsuruda, Yoshitaka Konishi
  • Publication number: 20230420286
    Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing apparatus comprising: a first placement chamber; a second placement chamber; a transfer robot; and a controller. The controller is configured to: a) control the apparatus such that a position of an object on a fork of the transfer robot is detected as a first position when unloading the object from the first placement chamber; b) control the apparatus such that the object is unloaded from the first placement chamber to a standby position of the first placement chamber and then transferred to a standby position of the second placement chamber; c) control the apparatus such that a position of the object on the fork is detected as a second position when loading the object to the second placement chamber; and d) control the apparatus such that a transfer speed of b) is controlled based on the first position and the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Takayasu KIYOKAWA
  • Publication number: 20230420225
    Abstract: A substrate processing method in a substrate processing apparatus includes (a) supplying a process gas that contains a gas containing halogen other than fluorine and a gas containing oxygen, to a processing container in which a stage is disposed, the stage being configured to place thereon a workpiece having an etching target film, (b) performing plasma processing on the workpiece by first plasma generated from the process gas under first plasma generation conditions, (c) performing plasma processing on the workpiece by second plasma generated from the process gas under second plasma generation conditions in which a condition of radio-frequency power and a processing time are different from those in the first plasma generation conditions, and other conditions are the same, and (d) repeating (b) and (c).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tejung HUANG, Shuhei OGAWA, Cedric THOMAS
  • Publication number: 20230420228
    Abstract: A disclosed plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, a plasma generator, a plurality of annular electromagnet units, a power source, at least one optical sensor, and a controller. The plurality of annular electromagnet units are provided coaxially with respect to an axis passing through an internal space of the chamber. The at least one optical sensor detects an emission intensity distribution of plasma along a radial direction in the chamber. The controller controls a power source to adjust currents respectively supplied to the plurality annular electromagnet units according to the emission intensity distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Akihiro YOKOTA, Ryo TERASHIMA, Tomo MURAKAMI, Takaharu SAINO
  • Publication number: 20230420263
    Abstract: An etching method includes: (a) providing a substrate including an etching target film and a mask on the etching target film; (b) after (a), forming a metal-containing deposit on the mask by a first plasma generated from a first processing gas including a metal-containing gas and a hydrogen-containing gas; (c) after (b), deforming or modifying the metal-containing deposit by a second plasma generated from a second processing gas different from the first processing gas; and (d) after (c), etching the etching target film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Takayuki KATSUNUMA
  • Publication number: 20230420226
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes: a processing chamber; a substrate support provided in the processing chamber and configured to hold a substrate; a plate facing the substrate support and having a gas introduction port; and a cylindrical member configured to support the plate and surround a periphery of the substrate. The plate and the cylindrical member constitute a component of a SiC member having a SiC film deposited by CVD, and the cylindrical member includes a first portion that is deformable under a load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Naoyuki SATOH
  • Patent number: 11854815
    Abstract: A substrate drying apparatus, a substrate drying method and a storage medium are capable of sublimating a sublimable substance filled in recesses of a pattern formed on a substrate while preventing pattern collapse. A first unit includes a solution supplier which supplies a sublimable substance solution containing a sublimable substance and a solvent to a processing surface, and a first liquid remover which forms a solid film of the sublimable substance on the processing surface by removing the solvent and a processing liquid from the processing surface. A second unit includes a second liquid remover which vaporize the solvent and the processing liquid remaining in the solid film by heating the substrate, and maintaining the substrate at a temperature within a first temperature range, and a solid film remover which remove the solid film from the processing surface by heating the substrate at a temperature within a second temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Yosuke Kawabuchi
  • Patent number: 11854772
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment includes a processing container, a stage, a dielectric plate, an upper electrode, an introduction part, a driving shaft, and an actuator. The stage is provided in the processing container. The dielectric plate is provided above the stage via a space in the processing container. The upper electrode has flexibility, is provided above the dielectric plate, and provides a gap between the dielectric plate and the upper electrode. The introduction part is an introduction part of radio frequency waves that are VHF waves or UHF waves, is provided at a horizontal end portion of the space. The driving shaft is coupled to the upper electrode on a central axial line of the processing container. The actuator is configured to move the driving shaft in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignees: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Masaki Hirayama
  • Patent number: 11854840
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes: a substrate transfer device; processing units each having a substrate holding mechanism for rotatably holding a substrate received from the substrate transfer device and a processing fluid supply part for supplying a processing fluid to the substrate; and a controller for controlling the substrate transfer device and the processing units according to processing recipe information so as to execute the substrate processing process. When an abnormality in a certain unit of the processing units occurs in the substrate processing process for the substrate to be processed, the controller controls the substrate transfer device and a relief processing unit according to complementary recipe information so that the complementary processing process for a relief substrate is executed in the relief processing unit by transferring the relief substrate to the relief processing unit different from the certain processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Yuji Takimoto