Patents by Inventor Atsushi Sawachi
Atsushi Sawachi 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).
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Publication number: 20240290591Abstract: A measuring device for a vacuum processing apparatus including a processing chamber having a first gate for loading and unloading a substrate and a second gate different from the first gate is provided. The measuring device includes a case having an opening that is sized to correspond to the second gate of the processing chamber and is airtightly attachable to the second gate, a decompressing mechanism configured to reduce a pressure in the case, and a measuring mechanism accommodated in the case and configured to measure a state in the processing chamber through the opening in a state where the pressure in the case is reduced by the decompressing mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2024Publication date: August 29, 2024Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Atsushi SAWACHI, Ichiro SONE, Takuya NISHIJIMA, Suguru SATO
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Publication number: 20240261918Abstract: A part replacement system includes a part storage device configured to store an unused consumable part, and a replacement device that is connected to a processing device and the part storage device, the replacement device being configured to replace a used consumable part installed in the processing device with the unused consumable part stored in the part storage device. The replacement device is moved to a position of the processing device having the used consumable part that requires replacement, and the replacement device is connected to the processing device, and the part storage device is moved to a position of the replacement device connected to the processing device having the used consumable part that requires replacement, and the part storage device is connected to the replacement device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2024Publication date: August 8, 2024Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Atsushi SAWACHI, Ichiro SONE, Suguru SATO, Takuya NISHIJIMA
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Patent number: 12046454Abstract: A performance calculation method is provided. In the performance calculation method, shipment inspection data of multiple flow rate controllers are acquired. Further, first performance values indicating, as deviation values, performance of the flow rate controllers are calculated based on the acquired shipment inspection data and first coefficients for items indicating the performance of the flow rate controllers. Further, second performance values indicating, as deviation values, performance of a processing apparatus using the flow rate controllers are calculated based on the calculated first performance values and second coefficients for items indicating the performance of the processing apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2020Date of Patent: July 23, 2024Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Atsushi Sawachi, Norihiko Amikura
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Publication number: 20240242976Abstract: A gas supply device capable of saving space and supplying a mixed gas having components with stable concentration to a processing chamber in a short time includes: a plurality of fluid control units each including a flow path through which gas flows, and fluid control devices provided in the middle of the flow path; a merging flow path including a plurality of connecting portions fluidly connected to the plurality of fluid control units and a single gas outlet portion which derives the gas introduced through the plurality of connecting portions; wherein a plurality of connecting portions is arranged symmetrically with respect to the gas outlet portion in the flow path direction of the merging flow path, and two or more fluid control units are fluidly connected to each of the plurality of connecting portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2022Publication date: July 18, 2024Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited, FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Jun HIROSE, Atsushi SAWACHI, Takahiro MATSUDA, Kazunari WATANABE, Kohei SHIGYOU, Taiki HOSHIKO
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Patent number: 12040166Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided. The substrate processing apparatus comprise: a first chamber including a sidewall providing an opening, the first chamber further including a movable part movable upward and downward within the first chamber; a substrate support disposed within the first chamber; a second chamber disposed within the first chamber and defining, together with the substrate support, a processing space in which a substrate mounted on the substrate support is processed, the second chamber being separable from the first chamber and transportable between an inner space of the first chamber and the outside of the first chamber via the opening; a clamp releasably fixing the second chamber to the movable part extending above the second chamber; a release mechanism configured to release the fixing of the second chamber by the clamp; and a lift mechanism configured to move the movable part upward and downward.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2021Date of Patent: July 16, 2024Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Atsushi Sawachi, Jun Hirose, Takuya Nishijima, Ichiro Sone, Suguru Sato
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Patent number: 12033834Abstract: A flow rate controller includes a valve and a valve control unit. The valve is configured to control a flow rate of a gas supplied to a processing device. The valve control unit is configured to open the valve to start a control of the flow rate of the gas when the processing device has issued a command that instructs a start of supplying gas; calculate a cumulative flow amount by integrating the flow rate of the gas at every predetermined cycle from a time point at which the command is issued; and close the valve to stop the control of the flow rate of the gas at a time point at which the calculated cumulative flow amount has reached a predetermined target cumulative flow amount.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2019Date of Patent: July 9, 2024Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventor: Atsushi Sawachi
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Publication number: 20240212987Abstract: A gas supply system includes: gas supply flow paths for independently supplying gas to a processing chamber; a flow rate controller arranged in each gas supply flow path; a primary-side valve arranged on an upstream side of the flow rate controller; a primary-side gas exhaust flow path branched between the primary-side valve and the flow rate controller; a primary-side exhaust valve arranged in the primary-side gas exhaust flow path; a secondary-side valve arranged on a downstream side of the flow rate controller; a secondary-side gas exhaust flow path branched between the secondary-side valve and the flow rate controller; and a secondary-side exhaust valve arranged in the secondary-side gas exhaust flow path. The flow rate controller includes: a control valve connected to the primary-side valve and the secondary-side valve; and a control-side orifice arranged between the control valve and the secondary-side valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2024Publication date: June 27, 2024Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Atsushi SAWACHI, Kota ISHIHARADA, Hideaki YAKUSHIJI, Yoshiyasu SATO, Shinya MORIKITA, Shota YOSHIMURA, Toshihiro TSURUTA, Kazuaki TAKAAI
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Patent number: 12002666Abstract: A measuring device for a vacuum processing apparatus including a processing chamber having a first gate for loading and unloading a substrate and a second gate different from the first gate is provided. The measuring device includes a case having art opening that is sized to correspond to the second gate of the processing chamber and is airtightly attachable to the second gate, a decompressing mechanism configured to reduce a pressure in the case, and a measuring mechanism accommodated in the case and configured to measure a state in the processing chamber through the opening in a state where the pressure in the case is reduced by the decompressing mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2020Date of Patent: June 4, 2024Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Atsushi Sawachi, Ichiro Sone, Takuya Nishijima, Suguru Sato
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Patent number: 11992912Abstract: A part replacement system includes a part storage device configured to store an unused consumable part, and a replacement device that is connected to a processing device and the part storage device, the replacement device being configured to replace a used consumable part installed in the processing device with the unused consumable part stored in the part storage device. The replacement device is moved to a position of the processing device having the used consumable part that requires replacement, and the replacement device is connected to the processing device, and the part storage device is moved to a position of the replacement device connected to the processing device having the used consumable part that requires replacement, and the part storage device is connected to the replacement device.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2021Date of Patent: May 28, 2024Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Atsushi Sawachi, Ichiro Sone, Suguru Sato, Takuya Nishijima
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Publication number: 20230230812Abstract: A system includes: gas supply flow paths for supplying independently a main gas to a processing chamber; a flow rate control valve disposed in each gas supply flow path; an additive-gas flow path connected to the flow rate control valve; a valve for addition disposed in the additive-gas flow path; and a controller for controlling the flow rate control valve and the valve for addition to execute controls of: calculating flow rates of the main gas and an additive gas to be mixed with the main gas; calculating a total of the flow rates; calculating an internal pressure of each gas supply flow path with the total flow rate, and first and second relationships between previously acquired gas flow rates and gas pressures of the main gas and the additive gas, respectively; calculating an internal pressure ratio; and proportionally controlling openings of flow rate control valves based on the ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2023Publication date: July 20, 2023Inventor: Atsushi SAWACHI
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Patent number: 11698648Abstract: A gas supply system includes a first flow channel connected to a first gas source of a first gas, formed inside a ceiling or a sidewall of the treatment container, and communicating with the treatment space through a plurality of first gas discharge holes, a second flow channel connected to a second gas source of a second gas, formed inside the ceiling or the sidewall of the treatment container, and communicating with the treatment space through a plurality of second gas discharge holes, and a plurality of first diaphragm valves, wherein each of the first diaphragm valves is provided between the first flow channel and the first gas discharge hole to correspond to the first gas discharge hole.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2021Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Atsushi Sawachi, Norihiko Amikura
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Patent number: 11694878Abstract: When a gas supplied to a gas injection unit is switched from a first processing gas to a second processing gas, a controller of a gas supply system performs control to open a first supply on/off valve connected to the gas injection unit and provided in a first gas supply line for supplying the first processing gas and a second exhaust on/off valve provided in a first gas exhaust line branched from the first gas supply line, close a second supply on/off valve connected to the gas injection unit and provided in a second gas supply line for supplying the second processing gas and a first exhaust on/off valve provided in a second gas exhaust line branched from the second gas supply line; and then open the second supply on/off valve and the first exhaust on/off valve and close the first supply on/off valve and the second exhaust on/off valve.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2021Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventor: Atsushi Sawachi
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Patent number: 11538665Abstract: A gas supply system includes first and second gas supply lines, first and second valves, and a controller. The first gas supply line is connected between a process gas source and a substrate processing chamber and has an intermediate node. The second gas supply line is connected between a purge gas source and the intermediate node. The first valve is disposed upstream of the intermediate node on the first gas supply line. The second valve is disposed upstream of the first valve on the first gas supply line. A controller controls the first and second valves to open the first and second valves in a first mode for supplying a process gas from the process gas source to the substrate processing chamber, and close the first and second valves in a second mode for supplying a purge gas from the purge gas source to the substrate processing chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2020Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Atsushi Sawachi, Norihiko Amikura
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Patent number: 11513541Abstract: The method for inspecting the flow rate controller for controlling a flow rate of a fluid includes creating and recording a three-dimensional database in which a first pressure, a set flow rate or a second pressure, and a control value of a piezoelectric element are associated with each other, based on reference data, measuring, as target data, control values of the piezoelectric element corresponding to the first pressure detected by a first pressure detector and the set flow rate specified in a recipe of a substrate processing process or the second pressure detected by a second pressure detector, at the time of the execution of the substrate processing process, and determining whether or not there is a problem in a diaphragm valve, by comparing the target data with the reference data included in the three-dimensional database.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2019Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Atsushi Sawachi, Norihiko Amikura
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Publication number: 20220148890Abstract: A processing apparatus which processes a substrate is disclosed. The processing apparatus comprises: a plurality of processing chambers which process the substrate in an atmosphere of a desired processing gases; a plurality of tank units provided for each of the plurality of processing chambers, the plurality of tank units including a plurality of tanks configured for temporarily storing the processing gases; and one or more gas boxes supplying the processing gases to the processing chambers via the tank units. The substrate processing apparatus allows the number of gas boxes to be reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2021Publication date: May 12, 2022Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Atsushi SAWACHI, Kosuke OGASAWARA
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Publication number: 20220122818Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided. The substrate processing apparatus comprise: a first chamber including a sidewall providing an opening, the first chamber further including a movable part movable upward and downward within the first chamber; a substrate support disposed within the first chamber; a second chamber disposed within the first chamber and defining, together with the substrate support, a processing space in which a substrate mounted on the substrate support is processed, the second chamber being separable from the first chamber and transportable between an inner space of the first chamber and the outside of the first chamber via the opening; a clamp releasably fixing the second chamber to the movable part extending above the second chamber; a release mechanism configured to release the fixing of the second chamber by the clamp; and a lift mechanism configured to move the movable part upward and downward.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Atsushi SAWACHI, Jun HIROSE, Takuya NISHIJIMA, Ichiro SONE, Suguru SATO
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Publication number: 20220115213Abstract: When a gas supplied to a gas injection unit is switched from a first processing gas to a second processing gas, a controller of a gas supply system performs control to open a first supply on/off valve connected to the gas injection unit and provided in a first gas supply line for supplying the first processing gas and a second exhaust on/off valve provided in a first gas exhaust line branched from the first gas supply line, close a second supply on/off valve connected to the gas injection unit and provided in a second gas supply line for supplying the second processing gas and a first exhaust on/off valve provided in a second gas exhaust line branched from the second gas supply line; and then open the second supply on/off valve and the first exhaust on/off valve and close the first supply on/off valve and the second exhaust on/off valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventor: Atsushi SAWACHI
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Patent number: 11217432Abstract: When a gas supplied to a gas injection unit is switched from a first processing gas to a second processing gas, a controller of a gas supply system performs control to open a first supply on/off valve connected to the gas injection unit and provided in a first gas supply line for supplying the first processing gas and a second exhaust on/off valve provided in a first gas exhaust line branched from the first gas supply line, close a second supply on/off valve connected to the gas injection unit and provided in a second gas supply line for supplying the second processing gas and a first exhaust on/off valve provided in a second gas exhaust line branched from the second gas supply line; and then open the second supply on/off valve and the first exhaust on/off valve and close the first supply on/off valve and the second exhaust on/off valve.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2019Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventor: Atsushi Sawachi
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Publication number: 20210407768Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a first chamber having an inner space and an opening, a substrate support disposed in the inner space of the first chamber, an actuator configured to move the substrate support between a first position and a second position, a second chamber that is disposed in the inner space of the first chamber and defines a substrate processing space together with the substrate support when the substrate support is located at the first position, and at least one fixing mechanism configured to detachably fix the second chamber to the first chamber in the inner space of the first chamber. The second chamber is transferred between the inner space of the first chamber and an outside of the first chamber through the opening when the substrate support is located at the second position.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2021Publication date: December 30, 2021Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Atsushi SAWACHI, Jun HIROSE, Takuya NISHIJIMA, Ichiro SONE, Suguru SATO
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Publication number: 20210339350Abstract: A part replacement system includes a part storage device configured to store an unused consumable part, and a replacement device that is connected to a processing device and the part storage device, the replacement device being configured to replace a used consumable part installed in the processing device with the unused consumable part stored in the part storage device. The replacement device is moved to a position of the processing device having the used consumable part that requires replacement, and the replacement device is connected to the processing device, and the part storage device is moved to a position of the replacement device connected to the processing device having the used consumable part that requires replacement, and the part storage device is connected to the replacement device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Atsushi Sawachi, Ichiro Sone, Suguru Sato, Takuya Nishijima