Patents by Inventor Hironobu Hyakutake

Hironobu Hyakutake 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: 11915947
    Abstract: Substrates can be suppressed from being separated from supporting grooves. A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit and a processing tub. The substrate holding unit is configured to hold multiple substrates. The processing tub is configured to store a processing liquid therein. The substrate holding unit comprises a supporting body, an elevating device and a restriction unit. The supporting body has multiple supporting grooves and is configured to support the multiple substrates with a vertically standing posture from below in the multiple supporting grooves, respectively. The elevating device is configured to move the supporting body between a standby position above the processing tub and a processing position within the processing tub. The restriction unit is configured to be moved up and down along with the supporting body by the elevating device and configured to restrict an upward movement of the substrates with respect to the supporting body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takumi Honda, Koji Yamashita, Shinji Tahara, Hironobu Hyakutake
  • Publication number: 20240035168
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing tank configured to store a processing liquid for processing a substrate; a circulation path through which the processing liquid is taken out from the processing tank and is returned to the processing tank; a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate; a lifter configured to raise and lower the substrate holder between an immersion position inside the processing tank and a standby position above the processing tank; and a controller configured to control the lifter, wherein the processing liquid is a mixed liquid obtained by mixing a first component and a second component and generates a heat of mixing, and the controller is configured to perform a control to immerse the substrate in the mixed liquid before a temperature of the mixed liquid rises due to the heat of mixing and reaches a peak temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventor: Hironobu HYAKUTAKE
  • Publication number: 20220108898
    Abstract: Substrates can be suppressed from being separated from supporting grooves. A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit and a processing tub. The substrate holding unit is configured to hold multiple substrates. The processing tub is configured to store a processing liquid therein. The substrate holding unit comprises a supporting body, an elevating device and a restriction unit. The supporting body has multiple supporting grooves and is configured to support the multiple substrates with a vertically standing posture from below in the multiple supporting grooves, respectively. The elevating device is configured to move the supporting body between a standby position above the processing tub and a processing position within the processing tub. The restriction unit is configured to be moved up and down along with the supporting body by the elevating device and configured to restrict an upward movement of the substrates with respect to the supporting body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Takumi Honda, Koji Yamashita, Shinji Tahara, Hironobu Hyakutake
  • Patent number: 11232959
    Abstract: Substrates can be suppressed from being separated from supporting grooves. A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit and a processing tub. The substrate holding unit is configured to hold multiple substrates. The processing tub is configured to store a processing liquid therein. The substrate holding unit includes a supporting body, an elevating device and a restriction unit. The supporting body has multiple supporting grooves and is configured to support the multiple substrates with a vertically standing posture from below in the multiple supporting grooves, respectively. The elevating device is configured to move the supporting body between a standby position above the processing tub and a processing position within the processing tub. The restriction unit is configured to be moved up and down along with the supporting body by the elevating device and configured to restrict an upward movement of the substrates with respect to the supporting body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takumi Honda, Koji Yamashita, Shinji Tahara, Hironobu Hyakutake
  • Publication number: 20210384049
    Abstract: A wet etch system comprises an etching bath comprising an etching solution in a process tank inside an overflow tank flowing over an open top into the overflow tank. The etching bath has a top cover, a gas inlet, and a gas outlet above the etching solution. A gas flow system pumps inert gas into the gas inlet and extracts the gas through the gas outlet under positive pressure. The gas flow system may also bubble inert gas through the etching solution via injectors of a gas sparger in the process tank. A recirculation path connects a liquid outlet port coupled to the overflow tank to a liquid inlet port coupled to the process tank. A pump drives the etching solution to flow from the overflow tank, through a degasser in the recirculation path, back into the process tank, and overflow from the process tank into the overflow tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Derek William Bassett, Antonio Luis Pacheco Rotondaro, Trace Quentin Hurd, Hironobu Hyakutake, Kazuyoshi Mizumoto, Nobuaki Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20210335621
    Abstract: An etching method includes a first etching step, a processing step, and a second etching step. The first etching step is performed to etch a substrate on which a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film are formed with an etching liquid. The processing step is performed to process a pattern in the silicon oxide film on the substrate with a pattern shape processing liquid after the first etching step. The second etching step is performed to etch the substrate with the etching liquid after the processing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Tsukasa Hirayama, Takao Inada, Hironobu Hyakutake, Kazuya Koyama, Hisashi Kawano
  • Patent number: 11087992
    Abstract: An etching method includes a first etching step, a processing step, and a second etching step. The first etching step is performed to etch a substrate on which a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film are formed with an etching liquid. The processing step is performed to process a pattern in the silicon oxide film on the substrate with a pattern shape processing liquid after the first etching step. The second etching step is performed to etch the substrate with the etching liquid after the processing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Tsukasa Hirayama, Takao Inada, Hironobu Hyakutake, Kazuya Koyama, Hisashi Kawano
  • Patent number: 11075096
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes etching a substrate on which a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film are formed with a phosphoric acid processing liquid. In the etching, a silicon concentration in the phosphoric acid processing liquid is a first silicon concentration at which the silicon oxide film is etched, from a start time until a first time interval has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takao Inada, Hironobu Hyakutake, Hisashi Kawano
  • Patent number: 10928732
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate liquid processing apparatus including: a processing bath in which a processing liquid is stored; a chemical liquid component supply unit that supplies chemical liquid components; a concentration detecting unit that detects a concentration of the chemical liquid components; and a controller configured to perform a first control as a feedback control that replenishes the processing liquid with the chemical liquid components such that the concentration of the chemical liquid components contained in the processing liquid within the processing bath does not become less than a predetermined allowable lower limit, based on the concentration of the chemical liquid components detected by the concentration detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hironobu Hyakutake, Takafumi Tsuchiya, Koichiro Kanzaki
  • Patent number: 10916456
    Abstract: A substrate liquid processing apparatus includes a placing unit which places thereon a substrate; a liquid processing unit which processes the substrate by immersing the substrate in a processing liquid with a posture in which a plate surface of the substrate is perpendicular to a horizontal direction; a transfer unit which transfers the substrate between the placing unit and the liquid processing unit; and a rotating unit which rotates the substrate, after being subjected to a first processing by the liquid processing unit, around an axis perpendicular to the plate surface, and in a direction different from that when the first processing is performed. Further, the transfer unit transfers the substrate, after being subjected to the first processing, to the rotating unit and transfers the rotated substrate to the liquid processing unit. The liquid processing unit performs a second processing by immersing the rotated substrate in the processing liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Hironobu Hyakutake
  • Patent number: 10840081
    Abstract: A substrate liquid processing method includes immersing the substrate in a processing liquid for processing the substrate, detecting a conversion point at which a processing condition of the processing the substrate is changed, and changing the processing condition when the conversion point is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takumi Honda, Kazusige Sano, Hironobu Hyakutake
  • Publication number: 20200251343
    Abstract: An etching method includes a first etching step, a processing step, and a second etching step. The first etching step is performed to etch a substrate on which a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film are formed with an etching liquid. The processing step is performed to process a pattern in the silicon oxide film on the substrate with a pattern shape processing liquid after the first etching step. The second etching step is performed to etch the substrate with the etching liquid after the processing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Tsukasa Hirayama, Takao Inada, Hironobu Hyakutake, Kazuya Koyama, Hisashi Kawano
  • Publication number: 20200152489
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes etching a substrate on which a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film are formed with a phosphoric acid processing liquid. In the etching, a silicon concentration in the phosphoric acid processing liquid is a first silicon concentration at which the silicon oxide film is etched, from a start time until a first time interval has elapsed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Takao Inada, Hironobu Hyakutake, Hisashi Kawano
  • Publication number: 20190371595
    Abstract: A substrate liquid processing method includes immersing the substrate in a processing liquid for processing the substrate, detecting a conversion point at which a processing condition of the processing the substrate is changed, and changing the processing condition when the conversion point is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Takumi Honda, Kazusige Sano, Hironobu Hyakutake
  • Patent number: 10458010
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate liquid processing apparatus including: a processing bath in which a mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide is stored, and a substrate is immersed in the stored mixture such that a processing is performed on the substrate; an outer bath configured to receive the mixture flowing out from the processing bath; a circulation line configured to return the mixture in the outer bath to the processing bath; a sulfuric acid supply unit configured to supply sulfuric acid to the mixture; a first hydrogen peroxide supply unit configured to supply hydrogen peroxide to the mixture in the outer bath; and a second hydrogen peroxide supply unit configured to supply hydrogen peroxide to the mixture flowing through a downstream portion of the circulation line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hironobu Hyakutake, Takafumi Tsuchiya, Koichiro Kanzaki
  • Publication number: 20190172734
    Abstract: Substrates can be suppressed from being separated from supporting grooves. A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit and a processing tub. The substrate holding unit is configured to hold multiple substrates. The processing tub is configured to store a processing liquid therein. The substrate holding unit includes a supporting body, an elevating device and a restriction unit. The supporting body has multiple supporting grooves and is configured to support the multiple substrates with a vertically standing posture from below in the multiple supporting grooves, respectively. The elevating device is configured to move the supporting body between a standby position above the processing tub and a processing position within the processing tub. The restriction unit is configured to be moved up and down along with the supporting body by the elevating device and configured to restrict an upward movement of the substrates with respect to the supporting body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Takumi Honda, Koji Yamashita, Shinji Tahara, Hironobu Hyakutake
  • Publication number: 20180158701
    Abstract: A substrate liquid processing apparatus includes a placing unit which places thereon a substrate; a liquid processing unit which processes the substrate by immersing the substrate in a processing liquid with a posture in which a plate surface of the substrate is perpendicular to a horizontal direction; a transfer unit which transfers the substrate between the placing unit and the liquid processing unit; and a rotating unit which rotates the substrate, after being subjected to a first processing by the liquid processing unit, around an axis perpendicular to the plate surface, and in a direction different from that when the first processing is performed. Further, the transfer unit transfers the substrate, after being subjected to the first processing, to the rotating unit and transfers the rotated substrate to the liquid processing unit. The liquid processing unit performs a second processing by immersing the rotated substrate in the processing liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventor: Hironobu Hyakutake
  • Publication number: 20170037499
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate liquid processing apparatus including: a processing bath in which a mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide is stored, and a substrate is immersed in the stored mixture such that a processing is performed on the substrate; an outer bath configured to receive the mixture flowing out from the processing bath; a circulation line configured to return the mixture in the outer bath to the processing bath; a sulfuric acid supply unit configured to supply sulfuric acid to the mixture; a first hydrogen peroxide supply unit configured to supply hydrogen peroxide to the mixture in the outer bath; and a second hydrogen peroxide supply unit configured to supply hydrogen peroxide to the mixture flowing through a downstream portion of the circulation line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Hironobu Hyakutake, Takafumi Tsuchiya, Koichiro Kanzaki
  • Publication number: 20170025268
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate liquid processing apparatus including: a processing bath in which a processing liquid is stored; a chemical liquid component supply unit that supplies chemical liquid components; a concentration detecting unit that detects a concentration of the chemical liquid components; and a controller configured to perform a first control as a feedback control that replenishes the processing liquid with the chemical liquid components such that the concentration of the chemical liquid components contained in the processing liquid within the processing bath does not become less than a predetermined allowable lower limit, based on the concentration of the chemical liquid components detected by the concentration detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Hironobu Hyakutake, Takafumi Tsuchiya, Koichiro Kanzaki
  • Patent number: 9027573
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus that includes a process tank having a pair of opposed sidewalls for storing a chemical liquid, and processing a plurality of substrates by the chemical liquid; a substrate holding mechanism including a holding part for holding the plurality of substrates, and a back part connected to the holding part and interposed between the substrates held by the holding part and one sidewall of the pair of opposed sidewalls when the substrate holding mechanism is loaded into the process tank. A heating device is disposed on the process tank for heating the stored chemical liquid. The heating device includes at least a first heater disposed on the one sidewall, and a second heater disposed on the other sidewall of the pair of opposed sidewalls. Energy outputs of the first heater and the second heater are independently controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hironobu Hyakutake, Shinichiro Shimomura