Patents by Inventor Hirotaka Maruyama

Hirotaka Maruyama 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: 11923220
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber; a substrate holder that is disposed in the processing chamber and holds a substrate; a processing liquid supply that supplies a processing liquid to the substrate held in the substrate holder; an infrared camera that acquires an infrared image of the processing chamber; and a controller that detects at least a state of the processing liquid based on the infrared image and monitors presence/absence of an abnormality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Naoyuki Okamura, Hirotaka Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20210233217
    Abstract: An image restoration device includes an acquisition processing unit configured to acquire a captured image obtained by an imaging unit capturing surroundings of a vehicle, and a restoration processing unit. In a case where the captured image includes a stained area caused by a stain of an optical system of the imaging unit, the restoration processing unit is configured to output a restored image corresponding to the captured image acquired by the acquisition processing unit based on a restoration model pre-trained by a machine learning method to output the restored image serving as the captured image in response to an input of the captured image, the restored image in which the stained area is reduced in a different degree in accordance with a position of the stained area in the captured image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirotaka MARUYAMA, Yoshihito KOKUBO, Yoshihisa SUETSUGU
  • Publication number: 20210043482
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber; a substrate holder that is disposed in the processing chamber and holds a substrate; a processing liquid supply that supplies a processing liquid to the substrate held in the substrate holder; an infrared camera that acquires an infrared image of the processing chamber; and a controller that detects at least a state of the processing liquid based on the infrared image and monitors presence/absence of an abnormality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Naoyuki OKAMURA, Hirotaka MARUYAMA
  • Patent number: 10192731
    Abstract: In drying a substrate disposed inside a processing container after performing a liquid processing on the substrate, a low humidity gas for lowering a humidity inside the processing container is supplied during a time period when a processing liquid is supplied to the center portion of the substrate, and the processing liquid supplied to the center portion of the substrate is stopped after a humidity measurement value obtained by measuring the humidity inside the processing container becomes equal to or less than a preset humidity target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Hirotaka Maruyama
  • Patent number: 10067514
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a mixing tank, a first opening/closing valve, a second opening/closing valve, a first flow rate measuring unit, a second flow rate measuring unit, a control unit, and a substrate processing unit. A first liquid and a second liquid are mixed such that the second liquid is mixed in an amount more than that of the first liquid. The first and second opening/closing valves open/close a first flow path and a second flow path, respectively. The first and second flow rate measuring units measure flow rates of the first and second liquids flowing through the first and second flow paths, respectively. The control unit controls opening/closing of the first opening/closing valve and the second opening/closing valve. The substrate processing unit processes a substrate by supplying a mixed liquid of the first and second liquids to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yasuo Kiyohara, Ikuo Sunaka, Koji Tanaka, Takami Satoh, Kazuyoshi Mizumoto, Takashi Uno, Hirotaka Maruyama, Hidetomo Uemukai, Tomiyasu Maezono
  • Patent number: 10037901
    Abstract: A substrate liquid treatment apparatus includes: at least one processing unit that processes a substrate with a treatment liquid; a storage tank that stores the treatment liquid; a circulation line through which the treatment liquid discharged from the storage tank into the circulation line is returned to the storage tank; a branch supply line that is branched from the circulation line to supply the treatment liquid to the processing unit; a recovery line that returns to the storage tank the treatment liquid having been supplied to the substrate in the processing unit; a distribution line connecting the circulation line and the recovery line; and a shutoff valve, provided on the distribution line, that is opened when cleaning of the recovery line is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazuya Koyama, Hiromi Kiyose, Katsufumi Matsuki, Shuhei Takahashi, Hideki Nishimura, Takashi Uno, Hirotaka Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20170256392
    Abstract: In drying a substrate disposed inside a processing container after performing a liquid processing on the substrate, a low humidity gas for lowering a humidity inside the processing container is supplied during a time period when a processing liquid is supplied to the center portion of the substrate, and the processing liquid supplied to the center portion of the substrate is stopped after a humidity measurement value obtained by measuring the humidity inside the processing container becomes equal to or less than a preset humidity target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventor: Hirotaka Maruyama
  • Patent number: 9362106
    Abstract: A wafer is held horizontally and rotated by a substrate holding mechanism. An aqueous alkaline solution is supplied to a wafer by a nozzle and caused to flow from a central portion to a peripheral edge portion of the wafer, thereby etching the wafer. An amount of oxygen, which is equal to or more than the amount of oxygen in atmospheric air involved in the aqueous alkaline solution flowing on the wafer, is previously dissolved in the aqueous alkaline solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hayato Iwamoto, Yoshiya Hagimoto, Tomoki Tetsuka, Shinichiro Shimomura, Teruomi Minami, Hiroki Sakurai, Hirotaka Maruyama, Yosuke Kawabuchi, Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150328668
    Abstract: A substrate liquid treatment apparatus includes: at least one processing unit that processes a substrate with a treatment liquid; a storage tank that stores the treatment liquid; a circulation line through which the treatment liquid discharged from the storage tank into the circulation line is returned to the storage tank; a branch supply line that is branched from the circulation line to supply the treatment liquid to the processing unit; a recovery line that returns to the storage tank the treatment liquid having been supplied to the substrate in the processing unit; a distribution line connecting the circulation line and the recovery line; and a shutoff valve, provided on the distribution line, that is opened when cleaning of the recovery line is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Kazuya KOYAMA, Hiromi KIYOSE, Katsufumi MATSUKI, Shuhei TAKAHASHI, Hideki NISHIMURA, Takashi UNO, Hirotaka MARUYAMA
  • Patent number: 9108228
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid processing apparatus that selectively supplies processing liquids with a switching operation to the surface of a substrate to perform a liquid processing. The liquid processing apparatus includes a first processing liquid supply unit including a first nozzle block that selectively supplies an acidic chemical liquid and a rinse liquid, and a second processing liquid supply unit including a second nozzle block that selectively supplies an alkaline chemical liquid and a rinse liquid. When a chemical liquid is supplied to the substrate from one of the first and second nozzle blocks, the other of the first and second nozzle blocks is retreated to a retreat position. When the rinse liquid is supplied to the substrate from one of the first and second nozzle blocks, the other of the first and second nozzle blocks is moved to a processing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takahisa Otsuka, Hirotaka Maruyama, Nobuhiro Ogata, Kazuyuki Kudo
  • Publication number: 20150146498
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a mixing tank, a first opening/closing valve, a second opening/closing valve, a first flow rate measuring unit, a second flow rate measuring unit, a control unit, and a substrate processing unit. A first liquid and a second liquid are mixed such that the second liquid is mixed in an amount more than that of the first liquid. The first and second opening/closing valves open/close a first flow path and a second flow path, respectively. The first and second flow rate measuring units measure flow rates of the first and second liquids flowing through the first and second flow paths, respectively. The control unit controls opening/closing of the first opening/closing valve and the second opening/closing valve. The substrate processing unit processes a substrate by supplying a mixed liquid of the first and second liquids to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Yasuo Kiyohara, Ikuo Sunaka, Koji Tanaka, Takami Satoh, Kazuyoshi Mizumoto, Takashi Uno, Hirotaka Maruyama, Hidetomo Uemukai, Tomiyasu Maezono
  • Patent number: 8978671
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a processing liquid supply unit; a volatile processing liquid supply unit; a substrate heating unit; and a controller to control the volatile processing liquid supply unit and the substrate heating unit, wherein the controller executes a process of supplying the processing liquid to the substrate, a process of heating the substrate on which a liquid film of the processing liquid is formed, a process of supplying a volatile processing liquid, a process of stopping the supply of the volatile processing liquid, and a process of drying the substrate by removing the volatile processing liquid, and wherein the process of heating the substrate starts before the process of supplying the volatile processing liquid, and the substrate heating unit heats the substrate so that the surface temperature of the substrate is higher than a dew point before the surface of the substrate is exposed from the volatile processing liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Satoru Tanaka, Takehiko Orii, Hirotaka Maruyama, Teruomi Minami, Mitsunori Nakamori
  • Publication number: 20140373877
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method in which a substrate is processed by a processing liquid in the form of liquid droplets. The liquid processing apparatus includes: a first processing liquid ejecting unit configured to eject a first processing liquid in a form of liquid droplets which contains pure water toward the surface of the substrate; and a second processing liquid ejecting unit configured to eject a second processing liquid as a continuous liquid stream toward the surface of the substrate processed by the first processing liquid in the form of the liquid droplets. The second processing liquid inverts a zeta potential on the surface of the substrate into a negative zeta potential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Shigehisa Inoue, Daisuke Nakayama, Katsufumi Matsuki, Takuro Masuzumi, Yuki Yoshida, Meitoku Aibara, Hiromi Kiyose, Takashi Uno, Hirotaka Maruyama, Kazuya Koyama, Takashi Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8906165
    Abstract: In a substrate processing method according to the present invention, a substrate is first processed using a chemical liquid. Next, the substrate is rinsed by supplying a rinsing liquid thereto while the substrate is being rotated. Thereafter, the substrate is dried while the substrate is being rotated. The drying of the substrate includes reducing a rotating speed of the substrate to a first rotating speed lower than that of the substrate during the rinsing of the substrate, while supplying the rinsing liquid to a central portion of the substrate; moving, from the central portion of the substrate toward a peripheral edge portion thereof, a rinsing liquid supply position to which the rinsing liquid is supplied, after the rotating speed of the substrate has been reduced to the first rotating speed; and supplying a drying liquid to the substrate, after the rinsing liquid supply position has been moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Teruomi Minami, Naoyuki Okamura, Hirotaka Maruyama, Yosuke Kawabuchi
  • Publication number: 20140080312
    Abstract: A wafer is held horizontally and rotated by a substrate holding mechanism. An aqueous alkaline solution is supplied to a wafer by a nozzle and caused to flow from a central portion to a peripheral edge portion of the wafer, thereby etching the wafer. An amount of oxygen, which is equal to or more than the amount of oxygen in atmospheric air involved in the aqueous alkaline solution flowing on the wafer, is previously dissolved in the aqueous alkaline solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Hayato IWAMOTO, Yoshiya HAGIMOTO, Tomoki TETSUKA, Shinichiro SHIMOMURA, Teruomi MINAMI, Hiroki SAKURAI, Hirotaka MARUYAMA, Yosuke KAWABUCHI, Hiroshi TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20130228200
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid processing apparatus that selectively supplies processing liquids with a switching operation to the surface of a substrate to perform a liquid processing. The liquid processing apparatus includes a first processing liquid supply unit including a first nozzle block that selectively supplies an acidic chemical liquid and a rinse liquid, and a second processing liquid supply unit including a second nozzle block that selectively supplies an alkaline chemical liquid and a rinse liquid. When a chemical liquid is supplied to the substrate from one of the first and second nozzle blocks, the other of the first and second nozzle blocks is retreated to a retreat position. When the rinse liquid is supplied to the substrate from one of the first and second nozzle blocks, the other of the first and second nozzle blocks is moved to a processing position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahisa Otsuka, Hirotaka Maruyama, Nobuhiro Ogata, Kazuyuki Kudo
  • Patent number: 8308870
    Abstract: Disclosed are a cleaning apparatus and a cleaning method, which can collect a chemical liquid without reducing the throughput after a substrate is subjected to a cleaning treatment and dried by using a drying solvent, such as IPA. The disclosed cleaning apparatus carries out a chemical liquid cleaning treatment, a rinsing treatment, and a drying treatment with IPA, in order, on a wafer W while rotating wafer W, and includes a cleaning liquid supply device for supplying a cleaning liquid for cleaning the drain cup and the drain tube to the drain cup in a state where the cleaning liquid is not supplied to the wafer. Also, the apparatus further includes a control unit for controlling respective components of the cleaning apparatus. The control unit, after the cleaning treatment and then the rinsing treatment of wafer W, at the time when the drying treatment is performed by IPA, controls the cleaning liquid to be supplied to the drain cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Teruomi Minami, Takashi Yabuta, Satoru Tanaka, Hirotaka Maruyama, Kouichi Eguchi
  • Publication number: 20120164840
    Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a liquid processing process that supplies a processing liquid onto a substrate to process the substrate; a heating process that heats the substrate on which a liquid film of the processing liquid is formed; a supplying process that supplies a volatile processing liquid to the substrate on which the liquid film of the processing liquid is formed; a stopping process that stops the supply of the volatile processing liquid to the substrate; and a drying process that dries the substrate by removing the volatile processing liquid, in which the heating process starts before the supplying process that supplies the volatile processing liquid and the substrate is heated so that the surface temperature of the substrate is higher than a dew point before the surface of the substrate is exposed from the volatile processing liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventors: Satoru Tanaka, Takehiko Orii, Hirotaka Maruyama, Teruomi Minami, Mitsunori Nakamori
  • Publication number: 20110308549
    Abstract: In a substrate processing method according to the present invention, a substrate is first processed using a chemical liquid. Next, the substrate is rinsed by supplying a rinsing liquid thereto while the substrate is being rotated. Thereafter, the substrate is dried while the substrate is being rotated. The drying of the substrate includes reducing a rotating speed of the substrate to a first rotating speed lower than that of the substrate during the rinsing of the substrate, while supplying the rinsing liquid to a central portion of the substrate; moving, from the central portion of the substrate toward a peripheral edge portion thereof, a rinsing liquid supply position to which the rinsing liquid is supplied, after the rotating speed of the substrate has been reduced to the first rotating speed; and supplying a drying liquid to the substrate, after the rinsing liquid supply position has been moved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Teruomi MINAMI, Naoyuki Okamura, Hirotaka Maruyama, Yosuke Kawabuchi
  • Publication number: 20100108103
    Abstract: Disclosed are a cleaning apparatus and a cleaning method, which can collect a chemical liquid without reducing the throughput after a substrate is subjected to a cleaning treatment and dried by using a drying solvent, such as IPA. The disclosed cleaning apparatus carries out a chemical liquid cleaning treatment, a rinsing treatment, and a drying treatment with IPA, in order, on a wafer W while rotating wafer W, and includes a cleaning liquid supply device for supplying a cleaning liquid for cleaning the drain cup and the drain tube to the drain cup in a state where the cleaning liquid is not supplied to the wafer. Also, the apparatus further includes a control unit for controlling respective components of the cleaning apparatus. The control unit, after the cleaning treatment and then the rinsing treatment of wafer W, at the time when the drying treatment is performed by IPA, controls the cleaning liquid to be supplied to the drain cup.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Teruomi MINAMI, Takashi YABUTA, Satoru TANAKA, Hirotaka Maruyama, Kouichi Eguchi