Patents Examined by Margaret Klunk
  • Patent number: 11955352
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a temperature raising part for raising a temperature of a first sulfuric acid; a mixing part for mixing the first sulfuric acid where the temperature is raised by the temperature raising part with a moisture-containing liquid to generate a mixed solution; and a discharging part for discharging the mixed solution onto a substrate inside a substrate processing part. The mixing part includes: a joining portion where a sulfuric acid supply line through which the first sulfuric acid where the temperature is raised by the temperature raising part flows and a liquid supply line through which the first sulfuric acid where the temperature is raised by the temperature raising part and the moisture-containing liquid flows are joined; and a reaction suppression mechanism for suppressing a reaction between the first sulfuric acid and the moisture-containing liquid in the joining portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroki Sakurai, Daisuke Goto, Takashi Nakazawa, Yusuke Takamatsu, Yusuke Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11955365
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a holder for holding a substrate horizontally, a rotator for rotating the holder, a liquid supplier for supplying liquid to the substrate, and a controller for controlling the holder, the rotator, and the liquid supplier. The holder includes a turntable configured to be rotated by the rotator, at least one first clamper configured to be rotated together with the turntable and moved between a clamping position and a releasing position, and at least one second clamper configured to be rotated with the turntable and moved between the clamping and releasing positions independently of the at least one first clamper. The controller controls the at least one first clamper and the at least one second clamper to alternately clamp the peripheral edge of the substrate while the holder is being rotated by the rotator and the liquid is being supplied to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ikeda, Toru Hirata
  • Patent number: 11942357
    Abstract: A placement apparatus for placing a workpiece is provided. The placement apparatus includes a stage on which a workpiece can be placed in a processing vessel; an edge ring including a locking part which is disposed on the stage so as to surround a periphery of the workpiece; a conductive connecting member connected with the edge ring at the locking part; and a first contacting member configured to cause the edge ring to contact the stage, while the edge ring is connected with the connecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yohei Uchida, Naoki Sugawa, Katsushi Abe, Tsuyoshi Hida
  • Patent number: 11865665
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus which can efficiently polish an entirety of a back surface of a substrate, with the back surface facing downward, is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes: a substrate holder configured to rotate the substrate; a polishing head configured to polish the back surface of the substrate; a tape advancing device; and a translational rotating mechanism configured to cause the polishing head to make a translational rotating motion. The substrate holder includes a plurality of rollers which are rotatable about their own axes. The plurality of rollers have substrate-holding surfaces capable of contacting a periphery of the substrate. The polishing head is disposed below the substrate-holding surfaces. The polishing head includes a polishing blade configured to press the polishing tape against the back surface of the substrate, and a pressing mechanism configured to push the polishing blade upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Kobayashi, Masayuki Nakanishi, Makoto Kashiwagi, Manao Hoshina
  • Patent number: 11854861
    Abstract: A spin dry etching process includes loading an object into a dry etching system. A dry etching process is performed to the object, and the object is spun while the dry etching process is being performed. The spin dry etching process is performed using a semiconductor fabrication system. The semiconductor fabrication system includes a dry etching chamber in which a dry etching process is performed. A holder apparatus has a horizontally-facing slot that is configured for horizontal insertion of an etchable object therein. The etchable object includes either a photomask or a wafer. A controller is communicatively coupled to the holder apparatus and configured to spin the holder apparatus in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction while the dry etching process is being performed. An insertion of the etchable object into the horizontally-facing slot of the holder apparatus restricts a movement of the object as the dry etching process is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Chiang Tu, Chun-Lang Chen
  • Patent number: 11837446
    Abstract: A substrate support includes an edge ring, one or more heating elements, and a cable configured to provide power from a power source to the edge ring and the one or more heating elements. The cable includes a first plurality of wires connected to the edge ring, a second plurality of wires connected to the one or more heating elements, a filter module, wherein the first plurality of wires and the second plurality of wires are twisted together within the filter module, and an isolation device. The isolation device is connected to the first plurality of wires and disposed between the filter module and the edge ring. The isolation device is configured to compensate for a resonance frequency generated during operation of the edge ring and the one or more heating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seyed Jafar Jafarian-Tehrani, Kenneth Walter Finnegan, Sean O'Brien, Benson Q. Tong
  • Patent number: 11810766
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a protective multilayer coating for process chamber components exposed to temperatures from about 20° C. to about 300° C. during use of the process chamber. The protective multilayer coating comprises a bond layer and a top layer, the bond layer is formed on a chamber component to reduce the stress between the top layer and the chamber component. The reduced stress decreases or prevents particle shedding from the top layer of the multilayer coating during and after use of the process chamber. The bond layer comprises titanium, titanium nitride, aluminum, or combinations thereof, and the top layer comprises tungsten nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Balaraman, Sathyanarayana Bindiganavale, Rajasekhar Patibandla, Balamurugan Ramasamy, Kartik Shah, Umesh M. Kelkar, Mats Larsson, Kevin A. Papke, William M. Lu
  • Patent number: 11810797
    Abstract: A wet processing apparatus and an operation method thereof are provided. The wet processing apparatus includes: a tank body including at least one side wall, the at least one side wall being provided with an opening extending from the inside to the outside of the tank body, and the tank body being configured to accommodate a wet processing solution; and a fixing device configured to fix the substrate at the opening of the side wall. The operation method of the wet processing apparatus includes: placing the substrate on an outer side of the side wall and at the position of the opening, and operating the fixing device to fix the substrate; and performing wet processing treatment on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: PYXIS CF PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Amlan Sen, Navaneetha Kumaran Baheerathan
  • Patent number: 11776826
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating a substrate includes a process chamber having a process space therein, a support unit that supports the substrate in the process space, a heating member that heats the substrate supported on the support unit, and an exhaust unit that evacuates the process space. The exhaust unit includes an exhaust duct and a heat retention unit having a retention space that retains heat released from the process space. The retention space surrounds an adjacent area located adjacent to the process chamber in the exhaust duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junho Kim, Kyungsik Shin, Youngseo An, Jinki Shin, Man Kyu Kang, Yoonki Sa
  • Patent number: 11756808
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes an insertion member having a first surface facing a vacuum space, a second surface facing a non-vacuum space, and an insertion hole penetrating through the first and second surfaces. A pin is inserted into the insertion hole and moved vertically. A movable member is provided in a recess formed on a wall surface of the insertion hole facing the pin. The movable member has an opening into which the pin is inserted and is movable along a surface of the recess. A first sealing member is provided between the movable member and the pin. A second sealing member is provided between the movable body and the surface of the recess and allows, when a pressing force of the pin that locally compresses the first sealing member acts on the first sealing member, the movable member to move in a direction to release the pressing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Takehiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 11745202
    Abstract: A dry non-plasma treatment system for removing material is described. The treatment system is configured to provide chemical treatment of one or more substrates, wherein each substrate is exposed to a gaseous chemistry under controlled conditions including surface temperature and gas pressure. Furthermore, the treatment system is configured to provide thermal treatment of each substrate, wherein each substrate is thermally treated to remove the chemically treated surfaces on each substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Martin Kent, Eric J. Strang
  • Patent number: 11731229
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes polishing a target surface of a substrate to be polished by moving a polishing brush in a horizontal direction while pressing the polishing brush against the polishing target surface of the substrate which rotates in a horizontal posture around a vertical axis. The polishing is performed while varying a rotation speed of the substrate and a moving speed of the polishing brush such that the rotation speed of the substrate decreases stepwise or continuously and the moving speed of the polishing brush in a radial direction of the substrate decreases stepwise or continuously as a distance from a center of rotation of the substrate measured in the radial direction of the substrate to a center of the polishing brush increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Osamu Miyahara
  • Patent number: 11728139
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for substrate etching are described herein. A processing chamber described herein includes a source module, a process module, a flow module, and an exhaust module. An RF source may be coupled to the chamber and a remote plasma may be generated in the source module and a direct plasma may be generated in the process module. Cyclic etching processes described may use alternating radical and direct plasmas to etch a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Toan Q. Tran, Soonam Park, Junghoon Kim, Dmitry Lubomirsky
  • Patent number: 11721564
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a first substrate processing chamber, a first substrate transfer chamber connected to the first substrate processing chamber, a second substrate processing chamber, and a second substrate transfer chamber connected to the second substrate processing chamber. The substrate processing system further includes a buffer chamber connected between the first substrate transfer chamber and the second substrate transfer chamber, the buffer chamber having at least one substrate holder. At least a part of the buffer chamber and at least one of the first substrate transfer chamber or the second substrate transfer chamber are vertically overlapped with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Toshiaki Toyomaki
  • Patent number: 11712710
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber in which a substrate is processed with a processing liquid; a nozzle having a discharge port from which the processing liquid is discharged, the discharge port being formed in a distal end portion of the nozzle; a nozzle bath including an accommodation chamber formed therein, wherein the distal end portion of the nozzle is accommodated in the accommodation chamber at a standby time at which the processing liquid is not supplied to the substrate; a circulation line configured to return the processing liquid, which is discharged from the nozzle to the nozzle bath, to the nozzle; and a first restraint part configured to restrain a gas from flowing between an outside of the nozzle bath and the processing liquid present inside the nozzle bath when the processing liquid discharged from the nozzle to the nozzle bath is circulated to the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Fumihiro Kamimura, Takahisa Otsuka, Hiroshi Komiya, Nobuhiro Ogata
  • Patent number: 11705346
    Abstract: An upper member is disposed at an upper portion within a processing chamber. A ceiling member forms a ceiling of the processing chamber, and is provided with a through hole at a facing surface thereof which faces the upper member. A supporting member supports the upper member with a first end thereof located inside the processing chamber by being inserted through the through hole and slid within the through hole. An accommodation member accommodates therein a second end of the supporting member located outside the processing chamber, and is partitioned into a first space at a first end side and a second space at a second end side in a moving direction with respect to the second end. A pressure controller generates a pressure difference between the first space and the second space. The pressure difference allows the supporting member to be moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yusei Kuwabara, Takahiro Senda
  • Patent number: 11630392
    Abstract: In a chemical liquid container replacement device D2 configured to replace a chemical liquid container 50, multiple chemical liquid containers 50 respectively connected to base end sides of chemical liquid supply paths configured to supply chemical liquids, and a nozzle attachment/detachment device 61 is configured to attach/detach the base end side of the chemical liquid supply path with respect to the chemical liquid container 50 of a container arrangement section 60. A loading/unloading port 62 loads a new chemical liquid container 50 for performing a liquid process on a substrate W and unloads a completely used chemical liquid container 50. A container transfer device 7 unloads the completely used chemical liquid container 50 from the container arrangement section 60 toward the loading/unloading port 62 and loads the new chemical liquid containers 50 from the loading/unloading port 62 toward the container arrangement section 60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Tsunenaga Nakashima
  • Patent number: 11621176
    Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus (1), an enlarged sealed space (100) is formed by bringing a cup part (161) that forms a lateral space (160) around the outer periphery of a chamber (12) into contact with a chamber lid part (122) separated from a chamber body (121). A scan nozzle (188) is attached to the cup part (161) in the lateral space (160) and supplies a chemical solution onto a substrate after moving to above the substrate through an annular opening (81). During processing for cleaning the substrate and processing for drying the substrate, the scan nozzle (188) is housed in the lateral space (160) and an upper opening of the chamber body (121) is closed by the chamber lid part (122) to isolate the chamber space (120) from the lateral space (160) and seal the chamber space (120). Thus, the chamber space (120) can be isolated from the scan nozzle (188). This consequently prevents a mist or the like of the chemical solution supplied from the scan nozzle (188) from adhering to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11605546
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber. A pedestal is arranged in the processing chamber. An edge coupling ring is arranged adjacent to the pedestal and around a radially outer edge of the substrate. An actuator is configured to selectively move a first portion of the edge coupling ring relative to the substrate to alter an edge coupling profile of the edge coupling ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Jon McChesney, Alex Paterson
  • Patent number: 11551943
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma processing device that provides an object to be treated with plasma treatment. A wafer as an object to be treated, which is attached on the upper surface of adhesive sheet held by a holder frame, is mounted on a stage. In a vacuum chamber that covers the stage therein, plasma is generated, by which the wafer mounted on the stage undergoes plasma treatment. The plasma processing device contains a cover member made of dielectric material. During the plasma treatment on the wafer, the holder frame is covered with a cover member placed at a predetermined position above the stage, at the same time, the wafer is exposed from an opening formed in the center of the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuhiro Iwai