Patents by Inventor Hidetaka Nakao
Hidetaka Nakao 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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Patent number: 10688622Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided with a polishing part that polishes a substrate, a transporting part that transports a substrate before polishing to the polishing part, and a cleaning part that cleans the polished substrate. The cleaning part has a first cleaning unit and a second cleaning unit that are vertically arranged in two stages. The first cleaning unit and the second cleaning unit each have a plurality of cleaning modules that are arranged in series. The transporting part has a slide stage that is disposed between the first cleaning unit and the second cleaning unit, and transports a substrate before polishing along an arrangement direction of the plurality of cleaning modules.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2017Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Hiroshi Aono, Kuniaki Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Shimomoto, Koji Maeda, Tetsuya Yashima, Kenji Shinkai, Koichi Hashimoto, Mitsuhiko Inaba, Hidetatsu Isokawa, Hidetaka Nakao, Soichi Isobe
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Publication number: 20180001440Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is provided with a polishing part that polishes a substrate, a transporting part that transports a substrate before polishing to the polishing part, and a cleaning part that cleans the polished substrate. The cleaning part has a first cleaning unit and a second cleaning unit that are vertically arranged in two stages. The first cleaning unit and the second cleaning unit each have a plurality of cleaning modules that are arranged in series. The transporting part has a slide stage that is disposed between the first cleaning unit and the second cleaning unit, and transports a substrate before polishing along an arrangement direction of the plurality of cleaning modules.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2017Publication date: January 4, 2018Applicant: Ebara CorporationInventors: Hiroshi AONO, Kuniaki YAMAGUCHI, Hiroshi SHIMOMOTO, Koji MAEDA, Tetsuya YASHIMA, Kenji SHINKAI, Koichi HASHIMOTO, Mitsuhiko INABA, Hidetatsu ISOKAWA, Hidetaka NAKAO, Soichi ISOBE
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Patent number: 9555517Abstract: The present invention improves the accuracy of film thickness detection. A film thickness signal processing apparatus 230 is provided with a receiving unit 232 for receiving film thickness data output from an eddy-current sensor 210 for detecting the film thickness of a polishing object 102 along a surface to be polished thereof; an identifying unit 236 for identifying the effective range of the film thickness data on the basis of the film thickness data received by the receiving unit 232; and a correcting unit 238 for correcting the film thickness data within the effective range identified by the identifying unit 236.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2015Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Taro Takahashi, Hidetaka Nakao, Akira Nakamura
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Publication number: 20160074987Abstract: The present invention improves the accuracy of film thickness detection. A film thickness signal processing apparatus 230 is provided with a receiving unit 232 for receiving film thickness data output from an eddy-current sensor 210 for detecting the film thickness of a polishing object 102 along a surface to be polished thereof; an identifying unit 236 for identifying the effective range of the film thickness data on the basis of the film thickness data received by the receiving unit 232; and a correcting unit 238 for correcting the film thickness data within the effective range identified by the identifying unit 236.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2015Publication date: March 17, 2016Inventors: Taro TAKAHASHI, Hidetaka NAKAO, Akira NAKAMURA
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Patent number: 9144881Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a peripheral-portion polishing unit configured to polish a peripheral portion of the substrate, a CMP unit configured to polish a flat surface of the substrate W, a cleaning unit configured to clean the polished substrate, a transport system configured to transport the substrate. The transport system transports the substrate that has been polished in one of the peripheral-portion polishing unit and the CMP unit to the cleaning unit, and transports the substrate that has been cleaned in the cleaning unit to the other of the peripheral-portion polishing unit and the CMP unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2014Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Hidetaka Nakao, Soichi Isobe, Seiji Katsuoka, Naoki Matsuda
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Publication number: 20140242885Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a peripheral-portion polishing unit configured to polish a peripheral portion of the substrate, a CMP unit configured to polish a flat surface of the substrate W, a cleaning unit configured to clean the polished substrate, a transport system configured to transport the substrate. The transport system transports the substrate that has been polished in one of the peripheral-portion polishing unit and the CMP unit to the cleaning unit, and transports the substrate that has been cleaned in the cleaning unit to the other of the peripheral-portion polishing unit and the CMP unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2014Publication date: August 28, 2014Inventors: Hidetaka Nakao, Soichi Isobe, Seiji Katsuoka, Naoki Matsuda
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Patent number: 8388409Abstract: A substrate polishing apparatus is provided for preventing excessive polishing and insufficient polishing, and enabling a quantitative setting of an additional polishing time. The substrate polishing apparatus comprises a mechanism for polishing a substrate to be polished; a film thickness measuring device for measuring the thickness of a thin film deposited on the substrate; an interface for entering a target thickness for the polished thin film; a storage area for preserving past polishing results; and a processing unit for calculating a polishing time and a polishing rate. The substrate polishing apparatus builds an additional polishing database for storing data acquired from the result of additional polishing in the storage area.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2010Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignees: Ebara Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Hidetaka Nakao, Yasumitsu Kawabata, Yoshifumi Katsumata, Naoki Ozawa, Tatsuya Sasaki, Atsushi Shigeta
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Patent number: 8206197Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a loading section (14) for placing therein a cassette (12) in which a plurality of polishing objects are housed; a first polishing line (20) and a second polishing line (30) for polishing a polishing object; a cleaning line (40) having cleaning machines (42a, 42b, 42c, 42d) for cleaning the polishing object after polishing and a transport unit (44) for transporting the polishing object; a transport mechanism (50) for transporting the polishing object between the loading section (14), the polishing lines (20, 30) and the cleaning line (40); and a control section for controlling the polishing lines (20, 30), the cleaning line (40) and the transport mechanism (50).Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2008Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Hidetaka Nakao, Masafumi Inoue, Koichi Takeda
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Patent number: 8078306Abstract: An apparatus polishes an object material such as a film on a substrate. This apparatus includes a polishing table for holding a polishing pad having a polishing surface, a motor configured to drive the polishing table, a holding mechanism configured to hold a substrate having an object material to be polished and to press the substrate against the polishing surface, a dresser configured to dress the polishing surface, and a monitoring unit configured to monitor a removal amount of the object material. The monitoring unit is operable to calculate the removal amount of the object material using a model equation containing a variable representing an integrated value of a torque current of the motor when polishing the object material and a variable representing a cumulative operating time of the dresser.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2008Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignees: Ebara Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Hidetaka Nakao, Eisaku Hayashi, Kunio Oishi, Isao Hayakawa, Yoshiaki Miyake, Yoshikuni Tateyama, Takeshi Ashihara
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Patent number: 8038136Abstract: A hand 1 is constituted by a hand base 4 serving as a base portion, a rocking hand 3 disposed to be superposed on the hand base 4 and serving to support a substrate 2, and a rocking mechanism 5 provided between the hand base 4 and the rocking hand 3 and serving to support the rocking hand 3 to be tiltable and movable in parallel with respect to the hand base 4.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2009Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki, Ebara CorporationInventors: Hiroki Sanemasa, Hideo Yamamoto, Naoomi Torii, Takahiro Ogawa, Seiji Katsuoka, Hidetaka Nakao, Natsuki Makino
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Publication number: 20100151770Abstract: A substrate polishing apparatus is provided for preventing excessive polishing and insufficient polishing, and enabling a quantitative setting of an additional polishing time. The substrate polishing apparatus comprises a mechanism for polishing a substrate to be polished; a film thickness measuring device for measuring the thickness of a thin film deposited on the substrate; an interface for entering a target thickness for the polished thin film; a storage area for preserving past polishing results; and a processing unit for calculating a polishing time and a polishing rate. The substrate polishing apparatus builds an additional polishing database for storing data acquired from the result of additional polishing in the storage area.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2010Publication date: June 17, 2010Inventors: Hidetaka NAKAO, Yasumitsu KAWABATA, Yoshifumi KATSUMATA, Naoki OZAWA, Tatsuya SASAKI, Atsushi SHIGETA
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Publication number: 20100130103Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a loading section (14) for placing therein a cassette (12) in which a plurality of polishing objects are housed; a first polishing line (20) and a second polishing line (30) for polishing a polishing object; a cleaning line (40) having cleaning machines (42a, 42b, 42c, 42d) for cleaning the polishing object after polishing and a transport unit (44) for transporting the polishing object; a transport mechanism (50) for transporting the polishing object between the loading section (14), the polishing lines (20, 30) and the cleaning line (40); and a control section for controlling the polishing lines (20, 30), the cleaning line (40) and the transport mechanism (50).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2008Publication date: May 27, 2010Inventors: Hidetaka Nakao, Masafumi Inoue, Koichi Takeda
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Publication number: 20090236786Abstract: A hand 1 is constituted by a hand base 4 serving as a base portion, a rocking hand 3 disposed to be superposed on the hand base 4 and serving to support a substrate 2, and a rocking mechanism 5 provided between the hand base 4 and the rocking hand 3 and serving to support the rocking hand 3 to be tiltable and movable in parallel with respect to the hand base 4.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2009Publication date: September 24, 2009Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI, EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroki SANEMASA, Hideo YAMAMOTO, Naoomi TORII, Takahiro OGAWA, Seiji KATSUOKA, Hidetaka NAKAO, Natsuki MAKINO
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Publication number: 20090111358Abstract: The present invention provides a apparatus for polishing an object material such as a film on a substrate. This apparatus includes a polishing table for holding a polishing pad having a polishing surface, a motor configured to drive the polishing table, a holding mechanism configured to hold a substrate having an object material to be polished and to press the substrate against the polishing surface, a dresser configured to dress the polishing surface, and a monitoring unit configured to monitor a removal amount of the object material. The monitoring unit is operable to calculate the removal amount of the object material using a model equation containing a variable representing an integrated value of a torque current of the motor when polishing the object material and a variable representing a cumulative operating time of the dresser.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2008Publication date: April 30, 2009Inventors: Hidetaka Nakao, Eisaku Hayashi, Kunio Oishi, Isao Hayakawa, Yoshiaki Miyake, Yoshikuni Tateyama, Takeshi Ashihara
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Publication number: 20050142991Abstract: A substrate polishing apparatus is provided for preventing excessive polishing and insufficient polishing, and enabling a quantitative setting of an additional polishing time. The substrate polishing apparatus comprises a mechanism for polishing a substrate to be polished; a film thickness measuring device for measuring the thickness of a thin film deposited on the substrate; an interface for entering a target thickness for the polished thin film; a storage area for preserving past polishing results; and a processing unit for calculating a polishing time and a polishing rate. The substrate polishing apparatus builds an additional polishing database for storing data acquired from the result of additional polishing in the storage area.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2004Publication date: June 30, 2005Inventors: Hidetaka Nakao, Yasumitsu Kawabata, Yoshifumi Katsumata, Naoki Ozawa, Tatsuya Sasaki, Atsushi Shigeta
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Patent number: 6074276Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing section for polishing a surface of a workpiece, a cleaning section for cleaning the workpiece which has been polished, a first liquid leakage sensor provided in the polishing section for detecting a liquid leakage which occurs in the polishing section, and a second liquid leakage sensor provided in the cleaning section for detecting a liquid leakage which occurs in the cleaning section. The polishing apparatus further includes a controlling device for stopping the supply of liquid to the polishing section or the cleaning section in which the liquid leakage occurs when either one of the first and second liquid leakage sensors detects the liquid leakage.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 1998Date of Patent: June 13, 2000Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Miki Shibata, Toyomi Nishi, Hidetaka Nakao, Tetsuji Togawa
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Patent number: 5885134Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing section for polishing a surface of a workpiece, a cleaning section for cleaning the workpiece which has been polished, a first liquid leakage sensor provided in the polishing section for detecting a liquid leakage which occurs in the polishing section, and a second liquid leakage sensor provided in the cleaning section for detecting a liquid leakage which occurs in the cleaning section. The polishing apparatus further includes a controlling device for stopping the supply of liquid to the polishing section or the cleaning section in which the liquid leakage occurs when either one of the first and second liquid leakage sensors detects the liquid leakage.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 1997Date of Patent: March 23, 1999Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Miki Shibata, Toyomi Nishi, Hidetaka Nakao, Tetsuji Togawa
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Patent number: RE38215Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer to a flat mirror finish. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing section for polishing a surface of a workpiece, a cleaning section for cleaning the workpiece which has been polished, a first liquid leakage sensor provided in the polishing section for detecting a liquid leakage which occurs in the polishing section, and a second liquid leakage sensor provided in the cleaning section for detecting a liquid leakage which occurs in the cleaning section. The polishing apparatus further includes a controlling device for stopping the supply of liquid to the polishing section or the cleaning section in which the liquid leakage occurs when either one of the first and second liquid leakage sensors detects the liquid leakage.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2001Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Miki Shibata, Toyomi Nishi, Hidetaka Nakao, Tetsuji Togawa