Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Sotozaki
Hiroshi Sotozaki 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: 11642755Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce an amount of use of the polishing liquid. There is provided an apparatus for polishing an object to be polished using a polishing pad having a polishing surface, the apparatus including: a polishing table for supporting the polishing pad, the polishing table being configured to be rotatable; a substrate holding unit configured to hold the object to be polished and press the object against the polishing pad; a supplying device for supplying polishing liquid to the polishing surface in a state in which the supplying device is pressed against the polishing pad; and a pressing mechanism configured to press the supplying device against the polishing pad, in which the pressing mechanism is capable of respectively adjusting pressing forces for pressing the sidewalls of on the upstream side and the downstream side of the supplying device against the polishing surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2019Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Pohan Chen, Hiroshi Sotozaki, Tadakazu Sone
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Patent number: 11612983Abstract: Provided is a polishing apparatus and polishing method which can preferably adjust a temperature of a surface of a polishing pad. A polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table configured to be rotatable, and to support the polishing pad; a substrate configured to hold an object to be polished, and to press the object to be polished against the polishing pad; a polishing liquid supplying portion configured to supply a polishing liquid to a polishing surface; a polishing liquid removing portion configured to remove the polishing liquid from the polishing surface; and a temperature adjuster configured to adjust a temperature of the polishing surface. In a rotating direction of the polishing table, the polishing liquid supplying portion, a polishing region where the object to be polished is pressed against the polishing surface by the substrate, the polishing liquid removing portion, and the temperature adjuster are disposed in this order.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2021Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroshi Sotozaki, Tadakazu Sone
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Patent number: 11465256Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for polishing an object to be polished using a polishing pad having a polishing surface, the apparatus including a polishing table for supporting the polishing pad, the polishing table being configured to be rotatable, a substrate holding unit configured to hold the object to be polished and pressing the object to be polished against the polishing pad, and a polishing-liquid removing unit configured to remove polishing liquid from the polishing surface. The polishing-liquid removing unit includes a rinse unit configured to jet cleaning liquid onto the polishing surface and a sucking unit configured to suck the polishing liquid on the polishing surface onto which the cleaning liquid is jetted. The rinse unit includes a cleaning space surrounded by a sidewall. The sidewall includes an opening section for opening the cleaning space toward a radial direction outer side of the polishing table.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2019Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroshi Sotozaki, Pohan Chen, Tadakazu Sone
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Patent number: 11426834Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polishing section configured to polish a substrate, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate, and a cleaning section configured to clean and dry the polished substrate. The cleaning section has plural cleaning lines for cleaning plural substrates. The plural cleaning lines have plural cleaning modules and plural transfer robots for transferring the substrates.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2019Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Mitsuru Miyazaki, Seiji Katsuoka, Naoki Matsuda, Junji Kunisawa, Kenichi Kobayashi, Hiroshi Sotozaki, Hiroyuki Shinozaki, Osamu Nabeya, Shinya Morisawa, Takahiro Ogawa, Natsuki Makino
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Patent number: 11413723Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce an amount of use of the polishing liquid. There is provided an apparatus for polishing an object to be polished using a polishing pad having a polishing surface, the apparatus including: a polishing table for supporting the polishing pad, the polishing table being configured to be rotatable; a substrate holding unit configured to hold the object to be polished and press the object against the polishing pad; a supplying device for supplying polishing liquid to the polishing surface in a state in which the supplying device is pressed against the polishing pad; and a pressing mechanism configured to press the supplying device against the polishing pad, in which the pressing mechanism is capable of respectively adjusting pressing forces for pressing the sidewalls of on the upstream side and the downstream side of the supplying device against the polishing surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2019Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Pohan Chen, Hiroshi Sotozaki, Tadakazu Sone
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Publication number: 20210283746Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for polishing, comprising a table configured to support a polishing pad; a polishing head configured to hold a substrate; and a polishing solution supply device configured to supply a polishing solution between the polishing pad and the substrate. The polishing solution supply device comprises a plurality of polishing solution supply ports arrayed in a direction intersecting with a rotating direction of the polishing pad in a state that the polishing solution supply device is placed on an upstream side in rotation of the polishing pad relative to the substrate. The polishing solution supply device supplies the polishing solution, such that the polishing solution supplied from the plurality of polishing solution supply ports has a predetermined flow rate distribution.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2021Publication date: September 16, 2021Inventors: Takuya MORIURA, Hiroshi SOTOZAKI, Tadakazu SONE, Masayoshi ITO, Itsuki KOBATA, Hisanori MATSUO, Tetsuya TERADA
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Publication number: 20210229240Abstract: Provided is a polishing apparatus and polishing method which can preferably adjust a temperature of a surface of a polishing pad. A polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table configured to be rotatable, and to support the polishing pad; a substrate configured to hold an object to be polished, and to press the object to be polished against the polishing pad; a polishing liquid supplying portion configured to supply a polishing liquid to a polishing surface; a polishing liquid removing portion configured to remove the polishing liquid from the polishing surface; and a temperature adjuster configured to adjust a temperature of the polishing surface. In a rotating direction of the polishing table, the polishing liquid supplying portion, a polishing region where the object to be polished is pressed against the polishing surface by the substrate, the polishing liquid removing portion, and the temperature adjuster are disposed in this order.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2021Publication date: July 29, 2021Inventors: Hiroshi Sotozaki, Tadakazu Sone
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Patent number: 11007621Abstract: Provided is a polishing apparatus and polishing method which can preferably adjust a temperature of a surface of a polishing pad. A polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table configured to be rotatable, and to support the polishing pad; a substrate configured to hold an object to be polished, and to press the object to be polished against the polishing pad; a polishing liquid supplying portion configured to supply a polishing liquid to a polishing surface; a polishing liquid removing portion configured to remove the polishing liquid from the polishing surface; and a temperature adjuster configured to adjust a temperature of the polishing surface. In a rotating direction of the polishing table, the polishing liquid supplying portion, a polishing region where the object to be polished is pressed against the polishing surface by the substrate, the polishing liquid removing portion, and the temperature adjuster are disposed in this order.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2018Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroshi Sotozaki, Tadakazu Sone
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Patent number: 10987776Abstract: A method, which can accurately determine in a short time a relationship between a load of a dresser and a pressure of a gas supplied to an air cylinder, is disclosed. The method includes determining a first contact point where a load measurement device is brought into contact with a polishing table, calculating a relational expression composed to a quadratic function showing a relationship between a measured load and a measured pressure, determining a second contact point where the dresser is brought into contact with a polishing surface of a polishing pad, calculating an amount of correction from the pressure of the gas at the first contact point and the pressure of the gas at the second contact point, and correcting the relational expression based on the calculated amount of correction.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2018Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Pohan Chen, Tadakazu Sone, Kenichi Suzuki, Hiroshi Sotozaki
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Patent number: 10730162Abstract: Disclosed is a turntable cloth peeling jig including: a cylindrical winding cylinder including a slit formed on an outer periphery of the cylindrical winding cylinder and extending in an axial direction thereof; a cloth clamping member disposed inside the winding cylinder and configured to clamp an outer peripheral edge of a cloth inserted into the slit; an extension bar attached to one end portion of the winding cylinder so as to extend coaxially therewith; an engaging portion provided at a tip end portion of the extension bar and engaged with a rotation jig configured to rotate the winding cylinder; and a handle provided in the engaging portion and configured to support the winding cylinder when rotating the rotating jig.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2017Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Hiroshi Sotozaki, Kenichiro Saito, Tadakazu Sone
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Patent number: 10661411Abstract: There is disclosed a polishing-surface cleaning apparatus to which a polishing liquid, such as slurry, is less likely to be attached. The polishing-surface cleaning apparatus includes an arm having a fluid passage, a nozzle communicating with the fluid passage, and a weld material securing the nozzle to the arm. The weld material fills a gap between a bottom surface of the arm and an edge of a front-end surface of the nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2015Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Ryuichi Kosuge, Hiroshi Sotozaki, Takeshi Kodera, Ryo Hasegawa
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Publication number: 20200047309Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polishing section configured to polish a substrate, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate, and a cleaning section configured to clean and dry the polished substrate. The cleaning section has plural cleaning lines for cleaning plural substrates. The plural cleaning lines have plural cleaning modules and plural transfer robots for transferring the substrates.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2019Publication date: February 13, 2020Inventors: Mitsuru Miyazaki, Seiji Katsuoka, Naoki Matsuda, Junji Kunisawa, Kenichi Kobayashi, Hiroshi Sotozaki, Hiroyuki Shinozaki, Osamu Nabeya, Shinya Morisawa, Takahiro Ogawa, Natsuki Makino
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Publication number: 20200039029Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for polishing an object to be polished using a polishing pad having a polishing surface, the apparatus including a polishing table for supporting the polishing pad, the polishing table being configured to be rotatable, a substrate holding unit configured to hold the object to be polished and pressing the object to be polished against the polishing pad, and a polishing-liquid removing unit configured to remove polishing liquid from the polishing surface. The polishing-liquid removing unit includes a rinse unit configured to jet cleaning liquid onto the polishing surface and a sucking unit configured to suck the polishing liquid on the polishing surface onto which the cleaning liquid is jetted. The rinse unit includes a cleaning space surrounded by a sidewall. The sidewall includes an opening section for opening the cleaning space toward a radial direction outer side of the polishing table.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2019Publication date: February 6, 2020Inventors: Hiroshi Sotozaki, Pohan Chen, Tadakazu Sone
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Publication number: 20200039031Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce an amount of use of the polishing liquid. There is provided an apparatus for polishing an object to be polished using a polishing pad having a polishing surface, the apparatus including: a polishing table for supporting the polishing pad, the polishing table being configured to be rotatable; a substrate holding unit configured to hold the object to be polished and press the object against the polishing pad; a supplying device for supplying polishing liquid to the polishing surface in a state in which the supplying device is pressed against the polishing pad; and a pressing mechanism configured to press the supplying device against the polishing pad, in which the pressing mechanism is capable of respectively adjusting pressing forces for pressing the sidewalls of on the upstream side and the downstream side of the supplying device against the polishing surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2019Publication date: February 6, 2020Inventors: Pohan Chen, Hiroshi Sotozaki, Tadakazu Sone
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Patent number: 10486285Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polishing section configured to polish a substrate, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate, and a cleaning section configured to clean and dry the polished substrate. The cleaning section has plural cleaning lines for cleaning plural substrates. The plural cleaning lines have plural cleaning modules and plural transfer robots for transferring the substrates.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2017Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: EBARA CorporationInventors: Mitsuru Miyazaki, Seiji Katsuoka, Naoki Matsuda, Junji Kunisawa, Kenichi Kobayashi, Hiroshi Sotozaki, Hiroyuki Shinozaki, Osamu Nabeya, Shinya Morisawa, Takahiro Ogawa, Natsuki Makino
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Publication number: 20180345454Abstract: A method, which can accurately determine in a short time a relationship between a load of a dresser and a pressure of a gas supplied to an air cylinder, is disclosed. The method includes determining a first contact point where a load measurement device is brought into contact with a polishing table, calculating a relational expression composed to a quadratic function showing a relationship between a measured load and a measured pressure, determining a second contact point where the dresser is brought into contact with a polishing surface of a polishing pad, calculating an amount of correction from the pressure of the gas at the first contact point and the pressure of the gas at the second contact point, and correcting the relational expression based on the calculated amount of correction.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: Pohan CHEN, Tadakazu SONE, Kenichi SUZUKI, Hiroshi SOTOZAKI
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Publication number: 20180290263Abstract: Provided is a polishing apparatus and polishing method which can preferably adjust a temperature of a surface of a polishing pad. A polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table configured to be rotatable, and to support the polishing pad; a substrate configured to hold an object to be polished, and to press the object to be polished against the polishing pad; a polishing liquid supplying portion configured to supply a polishing liquid to a polishing surface; a polishing liquid removing portion configured to remove the polishing liquid from the polishing surface; and a temperature adjuster configured to adjust a temperature of the polishing surface. In a rotating direction of the polishing table, the polishing liquid supplying portion, a polishing region where the object to be polished is pressed against the polishing surface by the substrate, the polishing liquid removing portion, and the temperature adjuster are disposed in this order.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2018Publication date: October 11, 2018Inventors: Hiroshi SOTOZAKI, Tadakazu SONE
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Publication number: 20180009081Abstract: Disclosed is a turntable cloth peeling jig including: a cylindrical winding cylinder including a slit formed on an outer periphery of the cylindrical winding cylinder and extending in an axial direction thereof; a cloth clamping member disposed inside the winding cylinder and configured to clamp an outer peripheral edge of a cloth inserted into the slit; an extension bar attached to one end portion of the winding cylinder so as to extend coaxially therewith; an engaging portion provided at a tip end portion of the extension bar and engaged with a rotation jig configured to rotate the winding cylinder; and a handle provided in the engaging portion and configured to support the winding cylinder when rotating the rotating jig.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2017Publication date: January 11, 2018Inventors: Hiroshi Sotozaki, Kenichiro Saito, Tadakazu Sone
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Publication number: 20170252894Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polishing section configured to polish a substrate, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate, and a cleaning section configured to clean and dry the polished substrate. The cleaning section has plural cleaning lines for cleaning plural substrates. The plural cleaning lines have plural cleaning modules and plural transfer robots for transferring the substrates.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2017Publication date: September 7, 2017Inventors: Mitsuru MIYAZAKI, Seiji KATSUOKA, Naoki MATSUDA, Junji KUNISAWA, Kenichi KOBAYASHI, Hiroshi SOTOZAKI, Hiroyuki SHINOZAKI, Osamu NABEYA, Shinya MORISAWA, Takahiro OGAWA, Natsuki MAKINO
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Patent number: 9687957Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a polishing section configured to polish a substrate, a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the substrate, and a cleaning section configured to clean and dry the polished substrate. The cleaning section has plural cleaning lines for cleaning plural substrates. The plural cleaning lines have plural cleaning modules and plural transfer robots for transferring the substrates.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2014Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Mitsuru Miyazaki, Seiji Katsuoka, Naoki Matsuda, Junji Kunisawa, Kenichi Kobayashi, Hiroshi Sotozaki, Hiroyuki Shinozaki, Osamu Nabeya, Shinya Morisawa, Takahiro Ogawa, Natsuki Makino