Patents by Inventor Atsuro Eitoku

Atsuro Eitoku has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250178022
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a processing process, an imaging process, a synchronizing process, and a calculation process. In the processing process, a controller outputs a control signal to at least one driver of a processing unit while measuring a time and makes the processing unit perform processing on a substrate. In the imaging process, a camera takes an image in the chamber to generate image data. In the synchronizing process, the controller performs synchronizing processing of reducing a difference between a current time measured by the controller and a current time measured by the camera. In the calculation process, an occurrence time of an event change in the chamber is calculated based on an imaging time of the image data, and a time difference between an output time of the control signal and the occurrence time is obtained based on a synchronized time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2024
    Publication date: June 5, 2025
    Inventor: Atsuro EITOKU
  • Patent number: 10910213
    Abstract: A low surface tension liquid is supplied from a low surface tension liquid supplying unit to a heated substrate to replace a processing liquid by the low surface tension liquid. The heating of the substrate is weakened and the low surface tension liquid is supplied from the low surface tension liquid supplying unit to the substrate, so that a liquid film of the low surface tension liquid is formed. The liquid film on the substrate is removed by strengthening the heating of the substrate without supplying the low surface tension liquid from the low surface tension liquid supplying unit to a central region of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventors: Tetsuya Emoto, Atsuro Eitoku, Tomomi Iwata
  • Patent number: 10843223
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a rinse liquid supplying step of supplying a rinse liquid containing water to a major surface of a substrate, a rotating step of rotating the substrate around a rotation axis passing through a central portion of the major surface of the substrate, and a hydrophobizing agent supplying step of supplying a hydrophobizing agent containing a first dissolving agent to the major surface of the substrate to replace a liquid held on the major surface of the substrate with the hydrophobizing agent in parallel with the rotating step after the rinse liquid supplying step is performed, and the hydrophobizing agent supplying step includes a hydrophobizing agent discharging step of discharging a continuous flow of the hydrophobizing agent from a discharge port of a nozzle toward the major surface of the substrate held by a substrate holding unit with a Reynolds number at the discharge port being not more than 1500.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayoshi Tanaka, Tetsuya Emoto, Akira Oato, Yuta Nakano, Teppei Nakano, Takashi Akiyama, Yuya Tsuchihashi, Reo Tamura, Atsuro Eitoku, Tomomi Iwata
  • Patent number: 10720320
    Abstract: A substrate processing method including a center portion discharging step of discharging a low-surface-tension liquid from a first low-surface-tension liquid nozzle disposed above a substrate toward the center portion of an upper surface, an inert gas supplying step of supplying inert gas to above the substrate in parallel with the center portion discharging step in order to form a gas flow flowing along the upper surface, and a peripheral edge portion discharging and supplying step of discharging the low-surface-tension liquid from a second low-surface-tension liquid nozzle disposed above the substrate toward a peripheral edge portion of the upper surface in parallel with the center portion discharging step and the inert gas supplying step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Emoto, Atsuro Eitoku, Tomomi Iwata, Akihiko Taki
  • Publication number: 20190148134
    Abstract: A low surface tension liquid is supplied from a low surface tension liquid supplying unit to a heated substrate to replace a processing liquid by the low surface tension liquid. The heating of the substrate is weakened and the low surface tension liquid is supplied from the low surface tension liquid supplying unit to the substrate, so that a liquid film of the low surface tension liquid is formed. The liquid film on the substrate is removed by strengthening the heating of the substrate without supplying the low surface tension liquid from the low surface tension liquid supplying unit to a central region of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Tetsuya EMOTO, Atsuro EITOKU, Tomomi IWATA
  • Patent number: 10224198
    Abstract: A low surface tension liquid is supplied from a low surface tension liquid supplying unit to a heated substrate to replace a processing liquid by the low surface tension liquid. The heating of the substrate is weakened and the low surface tension liquid is supplied from the low surface tension liquid supplying unit to the substrate, so that a liquid film of the low surface tension liquid is formed. The liquid film on the substrate is removed by strengthening the heating of the substrate without supplying the low surface tension liquid from the low surface tension liquid supplying unit to a central region of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Emoto, Atsuro Eitoku, Tomomi Iwata
  • Publication number: 20180345315
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a rinse liquid supplying step of supplying a rinse liquid containing water to a major surface of a substrate, a rotating step of rotating the substrate around a rotation axis passing through a central portion of the major surface of the substrate, and a hydrophobizing agent supplying step of supplying a hydrophobizing agent containing a first dissolving agent to the major surface of the substrate to replace a liquid held on the major surface of the substrate with the hydrophobizing agent in parallel with the rotating step after the rinse liquid supplying step is performed, and the hydrophobizing agent supplying step includes a hydrophobizing agent discharging step of discharging a continuous flow of the hydrophobizing agent from a discharge port of a nozzle toward the major surface of the substrate held by a substrate holding unit with a Reynolds number at the discharge port being not more than 1500.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Takayoshi TANAKA, Tetsuya EMOTO, Akira OATO, Yuta NAKANO, Teppei NAKANO, Takashi AKIYAMA, Yuya TSUCHIHASHI, Reo TAMURA, Atsuro EITOKU, Tomomi IWATA
  • Publication number: 20180269056
    Abstract: A substrate processing method including a center portion discharging step of discharging a low-surface-tension liquid from a first low-surface-tension liquid nozzle disposed above a substrate toward the center portion of an upper surface, an inert gas supplying step of supplying inert gas to above the substrate in parallel with the center portion discharging step in order to form a gas flow flowing along the upper surface, and a peripheral edge portion discharging and supplying step of discharging the low-surface-tension liquid from a second low-surface-tension liquid nozzle disposed above the substrate toward a peripheral edge portion of the upper surface in parallel with the center portion discharging step and the inert gas supplying step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya EMOTO, Atsuro EITOKU, Tomomi IWATA, Akihiko TAKI
  • Publication number: 20170182515
    Abstract: A low surface tension liquid is supplied from a low surface tension liquid supplying unit to a heated substrate to replace a processing liquid by the low surface tension liquid. The heating of the substrate is weakened and the low surface tension liquid is supplied from the low surface tension liquid supplying unit to the substrate, so that a liquid film of the low surface tension liquid is formed. The liquid film on the substrate is removed by strengthening the heating of the substrate without supplying the low surface tension liquid from the low surface tension liquid supplying unit to a central region of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Tetsuya EMOTO, Atsuro EITOKU, Tomomi IWATA
  • Patent number: 8118945
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a cleaning processing step, a mixed organic solvent supplying step, and a fluorine organic solvent supplying step. The cleaning processing step is a step of cleaning a main surface of a substrate by supplying deionized water to the substrate. The mixed organic solvent supplying step is a step of supplying a fluid of a mixed organic solvent to the main surface of the substrate after the cleaning processing step. The fluid of the mixed organic solvent contains a fluid of a water-soluble organic solvent and a fluid of a fluorine organic solvent having a smaller surface tension than that of the deionized water and a lower water solubility than that of the fluid of the water-soluble organic solvent. The fluorine organic solvent supplying step is a step of supplying the fluid of the fluorine organic solvent to the main surface of the substrate without supplying the fluid of the water-soluble organic solvent after the mixed organic solvent supplying step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsuro Eitoku
  • Patent number: 7494549
    Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus for removing an unnecessary substance from a surface of a substrate. The apparatus is provided with: an oxidation liquid supply mechanism for supplying an oxidation liquid having an oxidative effect to the substrate surface; a physical cleaning mechanism for physically cleaning the substrate surface; and an etching liquid supply mechanism for supplying an etching liquid having an etching effect to the substrate surface. It is preferred to physically clean the substrate surface while supplying the oxidation liquid to the substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsuro Eitoku
  • Publication number: 20080190454
    Abstract: The inventive substrate treatment method includes a treatment liquid supplying step, a pre-drying liquid supplying step and a vapor supplying step. In the treatment liquid supplying step, a treatment liquid is supplied to a major surface of a substrate. In the pre-drying liquid supplying step, a first lower surface-tension liquid having a lower surface tension than deionized water is supplied to the major surface after the treatment liquid supplying step. In the vapor supplying step, vapor of a second lower surface-tension liquid having a lower surface tension than the deionized water and soluble in the first lower surface-tension liquid is supplied to the major surface after the pre-drying liquid supplying step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventor: Atsuro Eitoku
  • Publication number: 20080142054
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a cleaning processing step, a mixed organic solvent supplying step, and a fluorine organic solvent supplying step. The cleaning processing step is a step of cleaning a main surface of a substrate by supplying deionized water to the substrate. The mixed organic solvent supplying step is a step of supplying a fluid of a mixed organic solvent to the main surface of the substrate after the cleaning processing step. The fluid of the mixed organic solvent contains a fluid of a water-soluble organic solvent and a fluid of a fluorine organic solvent having a smaller surface tension than that of the deionized water and a lower water solubility than that of the fluid of the water-soluble organic solvent. The fluorine organic solvent supplying step is a step of supplying the fluid of the fluorine organic solvent to the main surface of the substrate without supplying the fluid of the water-soluble organic solvent after the mixed organic solvent supplying step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventor: Atsuro Eitoku
  • Publication number: 20040031503
    Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus for removing an unnecessary substance from a surface of a substrate. The apparatus is provided with: an oxidation liquid supply mechanism for supplying an oxidation liquid having an oxidative effect to the substrate surface; a physical cleaning mechanism for physically cleaning the substrate surface; and an etching liquid supply mechanism for supplying an etching liquid having an etching effect to the substrate surface. It is preferred to physically clean the substrate surface while supplying the oxidation liquid to the substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Applicant: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsuro Eitoku
  • Patent number: 6273104
    Abstract: A blocking plate is disposed to face a substrate which is held by substrate holding device. A processing fluid is supplied to a surface of the substrate while supplying inert gas into a space between the substrate and the blocking plate. Since the inert gas flows along the surface of the substrate within the space between the substrate and the blocking plate, no turbulence which whirls upward is created at the surface of the substrate. This prevents the pollutants from adhering to the substrate and improves the quality of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Shinbara, Atsuro Eitoku, Katsuyuki Miyake
  • Patent number: 5943726
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus adapted to properly perform a substrate scrubbing process with the use of a scrubbing member. The apparatus includes a retention member for retaining a scrubbing member for scrubbing a substrate and a vertical drive mechanism for vertically moving the retention member. The state of the scrubbing member and the vertical position of the retention member are sensed, and a vertical position of the retention member suitable for the scrubbing of the substrate is determined on the basis of the results of the sensing. Then, the retention member is moved to the position thus determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuro Eitoku, Takao Kunihiro