Patents by Inventor Goro Furutani

Goro Furutani 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).

  • Patent number: 9694572
    Abstract: Provided is a device of bonding substrates together, which includes a first holding unit configured to vacuum-draw a first substrate and to adsorptively hold the first substrate on a lower surface thereof and a second holding unit installed below the first holding unit and configured to vacuum-draw a second substrate and to adsorptively hold the second substrate on an upper surface thereof. The second holding unit includes: a body portion configured to vacuum-draw the entire surface of the second substrate; a plurality of pins installed on the body portion and configured to make contact with a rear surface of the second substrate; and a support portion installed on the body portion at the outer side of the pins, the support portion having a reduced contact area over which the support portion makes contact with an outer peripheral portion of the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shintaro Sugihara, Hajime Furuya, Goro Furutani, Yasunobu Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 9469093
    Abstract: A bonding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first holding unit, a second holding unit, a pressing mechanism and a holding mechanism. The first holding unit is provided with a first heating mechanism and holds a first substrate. The second holding unit disposed facing the first holding unit and provided with a second heating mechanism, holds a second substrate. The pressing mechanism relatively moves the first holding unit and the second holding unit in order to contact and press the first substrate and the second substrate. The holding mechanism elastically holds an outer periphery of the first holding unit and the second holding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Norio Wada, Goro Furutani, Satoshi Ookawa
  • Patent number: 9165803
    Abstract: A bonding method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first holding processing, a second holding processing, a temporary bonding processing, a temperature increasing processing and a main bonding processing. In the first holding processing, a target substrate is held. In the second holding processing, a glass substrate held by electrostatic adsorption. In the temporary bonding processing, the target substrate and the glass substrate are temporarily bonded with a pressing force lower than a predetermined pressing force at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature. In the temperature increasing processing, while releasing the electrostatic adsorption of the glass substrate at the same time as or after the temporary bonding, the temperature is increased to the predetermined temperature. In the main bonding processing, a main bonding of the target substrate and the glass substrate is performed with the predetermined pressing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Goro Furutani, Norio Wada, Satoshi Ookawa
  • Patent number: 9093222
    Abstract: Provided is a dye adsorption unit including a processing tank of which the upper surface is opened, in order to perform a batch dye adsorption process for a predetermined number of substrates. The dye adsorption unit further includes, as a moving system around the processing tank, a boat capable of going in and out of the processing tank from the upper opening, a boat transport unit that serves for the boat to go in and out of the processing tank, and a top cover for detachably closing the upper opening. Further, the dye adsorption unit includes a dye solution supply unit for supplying the dye solution into the processing tank, and a flow control unit for controlling the flow of the dye solution in the processing tank during the dye adsorption processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Goro Furutani, Takashi Terada, Yoshiteru Fukuda, Norio Wada
  • Publication number: 20150129137
    Abstract: Provided is a device of bonding substrates together, which includes a first holding unit configured to vacuum-draw a first substrate and to adsorptively hold the first substrate on a lower surface thereof and a second holding unit installed below the first holding unit and configured to vacuum-draw a second substrate and to adsorptively hold the second substrate on an upper surface thereof. The second holding unit includes: a body portion configured to vacuum-draw the entire surface of the second substrate; a plurality of pins installed on the body portion and configured to make contact with a rear surface of the second substrate; and a support portion installed on the body portion at the outer side of the pins, the support portion having a reduced contact area over which the support portion makes contact with an outer peripheral portion of the second substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Shintaro SUGIHARA, Hajime FURUYA, Goro FURUTANI, Yasunobu IWAMOTO
  • Patent number: 9005385
    Abstract: A bonding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first holding unit, a second holding unit, a first cooling mechanism, a second cooling mechanism, a third heating mechanism and a fourth heating mechanism. The first holding unit has a first heating mechanism and holds a first substrate. The second holding unit has a second heating mechanism and holds a second substrate. The pressing mechanism contacts and presses the first substrate and the second substrate. The first cooling mechanism cools the first substrate through the first holding unit. The second cooling mechanism cools the second substrate through the second holding unit. The third heating mechanism heats the first cooling mechanism. The fourth heating mechanism heats the second cooling mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Norio Wada, Goro Furutani, Satoshi Ookawa
  • Publication number: 20140329341
    Abstract: A bonding method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first holding processing, a second holding processing, a temporary bonding processing, a temperature increasing processing and a main bonding processing. In the first holding processing, a target substrate is held. In the second holding processing, a glass substrate held by electrostatic adsorption. In the temporary bonding processing, the target substrate and the glass substrate are temporarily bonded with a pressing force lower than a predetermined pressing force at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature. In the temperature increasing processing, while releasing the electrostatic adsorption of the glass substrate at the same time as or after the temporary bonding, the temperature is increased to the predetermined temperature. In the main bonding processing, a main bonding of the target substrate and the glass substrate is performed with the predetermined pressing force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Goro Furutani, Norio Wada, Satoshi Ookawa
  • Publication number: 20140318680
    Abstract: A bonding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first holding unit, a second holding unit, a pressing mechanism and a holding mechanism. The first holding unit is provided with a first heating mechanism and holds a first substrate. The second holding unit disposed facing the first holding unit and provided with a second heating mechanism, holds a second substrate. The pressing mechanism relatively moves the first holding unit and the second holding unit in order to contact and press the first substrate and the second substrate. The holding mechanism elastically holds an outer periphery of the first holding unit and the second holding unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norio Wada, Goro Furutani, Satoshi Ookawa
  • Publication number: 20140318711
    Abstract: A bonding apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first holding unit, a second holding unit, a first cooling mechanism, a second cooling mechanism, a third heating mechanism and a fourth heating mechanism. The first holding unit has a first heating mechanism and holds a first substrate. The second holding unit has a second heating mechanism and holds a second substrate. The pressing mechanism contacts and presses the first substrate and the second substrate. The first cooling mechanism cools the first substrate through the first holding unit. The second cooling mechanism cools the second substrate through the second holding unit. The third heating mechanism heats the first cooling mechanism. The fourth heating mechanism heats the second cooling mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Norio Wada, Goro Furutani, Satoshi Ookawa
  • Publication number: 20140134776
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to improve the throughput of a dye adsorption process in which a dye is adsorbed in a porous semiconductor layer on a substrate and to improve dye use efficiency. In a dye adsorption device of the present invention, a dye solution drop-coating unit 12 performs a first process (dye solution drop-coating process) on an unprocessed substrate G carried in the dye adsorption device 10, in which a dye solution is dropped and coated on a porous semiconductor layer on the substrate G. A solvent evaporating/removing unit 14 performs a second process (solvent removing process) in which a solvent is evaporated and removed from the dye solution coated on the semiconductor layer on the substrate G. A rinsing unit 16 performs a third process (rinsing process) in which unnecessary or extra dye attached to the surface of the semiconductor layer n the substrate G is rinsed and removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Goro Furutani
  • Publication number: 20130323934
    Abstract: [Problem] To significantly reduce processing time of a step of adsorbing dye in a porous semiconductor layer on a substrate surface. [Solution] A flow of a dye solution is formed in a gap between solution guide surface (92L, 92R) of a nozzle (20) and a substrate (G) during the treatment, and a porous semiconductor layer of a treated surface of the substrate is subject to dye adsorption treatment in this flow of the dye solution. Furthermore, impact pressure from slit-like discharge openings (88L, 88R) and pressure of turbulent flow in groove-like uneven sections (92L, 92R) act in the vertical direction in addition to the flow of the dye solution. Thus, aggregation and association of the dye are hardly caused on a surface part of the porous semiconductor layer of the treated surface of the substrate, the dye efficiently penetrates deeply into the porous semiconductor layer, and the dye adsorption into the porous semiconductor layer proceeds at high speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Norio Wada, Takashi Terada, Yoshiteru Fukuda, Goro Furutani
  • Publication number: 20130316485
    Abstract: [Problem] To significantly reduce the processing time of a step in which a coloring matter is adsorbed onto a porous semiconductor layer formed on the surface to be treated of a substrate. [Solution] A dye adsorption unit (20) includes a processing tank (30) of which the upper surface is opened, in order to perform a batch dye adsorption process for a predetermined number of substrates (G). The dye adsorption unit (20) further includes, as a moving system around the processing tank (30), a boat (32) capable of going in and out of the processing tank (30) from the upper opening, a boat transport unit (34) that serves for the boat (32) to go in and out of the processing tank (30), and a top cover (36) for detachably closing the upper opening. Further, the dye adsorption unit (20) includes a dye solution supply unit for supplying the dye solution into the processing tank (30), and a flow control unit for controlling the flow of the dye solution in the processing tank during the dye adsorption processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Goro Furutani, Takashi Terada, Yoshiteru Fukuda, Norio Wada