Patents by Inventor Katsunori Ichino

Katsunori Ichino 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).

  • Publication number: 20130295777
    Abstract: A substrate is rotated at a first rotation number (first step). The rotation of the substrate is decelerated to 1500 rpm that is a second rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the second rotation number for 0.5 seconds (second step). The rotation of the substrate is further decelerated to a third rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the third rotation number (third step). The rotation of the substrate is accelerated to a fourth rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the fourth rotation number (fourth step). A resist solution is continuously supplied to a center portion of the substrate from a middle of the first step to a middle of the third step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Katsunori ICHINO, Koji TAKAYANAGI, Tomohiro NODA
  • Patent number: 8501274
    Abstract: A substrate is rotated at a first rotation number (first step). The rotation of the substrate is decelerated to 1500 rpm that is a second rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the second rotation number for 0.5 seconds (second step). The rotation of the substrate is further decelerated to a third rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the third rotation number (third step). The rotation of the substrate is accelerated to a fourth rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the fourth rotation number (fourth step). A resist solution is continuously supplied to a center portion of the substrate from a middle of the first step to a middle of the third step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Katsunori Ichino, Koji Takayanagi, Tomohiro Noda
  • Patent number: 8304018
    Abstract: There is provided a coating method which can efficiently apply a coating liquid, such as a liquid resist, to the entire surface of a wafer even when the coating liquid is supplied in a smaller amount than a conventional one, and can therefore reduce the consumption of the coating liquid. The coating method includes: a first step of rotating the substrate at a first rotating speed while supplying the coating liquid onto approximately the center of the rotating substrate; a second step of rotating the substrate at a second rotating speed which is lower than the first rotating speed; a third step of rotating the substrate at a third rotating speed which is higher than the second rotating speed; and a fourth step of rotating the substrate at a fourth rotating speed which is higher than the second rotating speed and lower than the third rotating speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Koji Takayanagi, Tomohiro Iseki, Katsunori Ichino, Kousuke Yoshihara
  • Publication number: 20110312190
    Abstract: A coating method based on such a technique includes a prewetting step of supplying a prewetting liquid to the center of a substrate (W) and rotating the substrate thereby spreading the prewetting liquid over the whole surface of a first substrate, and a coating film forming step of supplying a coating solution (e.g., a resist solution) to the substrate supplied with the prewetting liquid and drying the coating solution thereby forming a coating film on the surface of the first substrate. The prewetting liquid used is a mixed liquid obtained by mixing a solvent capable of dissolving components of the coating film (e.g., components of resist) and a high surface tension liquid having a surface tension higher than that of the solvent, the mixed liquid having a surface tension higher than that of the coating solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Katsunori Ichino, Kentaro Yoshihara, Kousuke Yoshihara
  • Publication number: 20110250765
    Abstract: A coating treatment method includes: a first step of discharging a coating solution from a nozzle to a central portion of a substrate while acceleratingly rotating the substrate, to apply the coating solution over the substrate; a second step of then decelerating the rotation of the substrate and continuously rotating the substrate; and a third step of then accelerating the rotation of the substrate to dry the coating solution on the substrate. In the first step, the acceleration of the rotation of the substrate is changed in the order of a first acceleration, a second acceleration higher than the first acceleration, and a third acceleration lower than the second acceleration to acceleratingly rotate the substrate at all times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kousuke YOSHIHARA, Katsunori ICHINO
  • Publication number: 20110052807
    Abstract: A substrate is rotated at a first rotation number (first step). The rotation of the substrate is decelerated to 1500 rpm that is a second rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the second rotation number for 0.5 seconds (second step). The rotation of the substrate is further decelerated to a third rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the third rotation number (third step). The rotation of the substrate is accelerated to a fourth rotation number and the substrate is rotated at the fourth rotation number (fourth step). A resist solution is continuously supplied to a center portion of the substrate from a middle of the first step to a middle of the third step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Katsunori Ichino, Koji Takayanagi, Tomohiro Noda
  • Publication number: 20100209607
    Abstract: There is provided a coating method which can efficiently apply a coating liquid, such as a liquid resist, to the entire surface of a wafer even when the coating liquid is supplied in a smaller amount than a conventional one, and can therefore reduce the consumption of the coating liquid. The coating method includes: a first step of rotating the substrate at a first rotating speed while supplying the coating liquid onto approximately the center of the rotating substrate; a second step of rotating the substrate at a second rotating speed which is lower than the first rotating speed; a third step of rotating the substrate at a third rotating speed which is higher than the second rotating speed; and a fourth step of rotating the substrate at a fourth rotating speed which is higher than the second rotating speed and lower than the third rotating speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Koji Takayanagi, Tomohiro Iseki, Katsunori Ichino, Kousuke Yoshihara
  • Publication number: 20090291198
    Abstract: The present invention is a coating treatment method of applying a coating solution containing an organic solvent onto a substrate, the method including: a first step of supplying a treatment solution having a first surface tension to a central portion of the substrate; a second step of supplying a solvent for the coating solution to a central portion of the treatment solution supplied in the first step, the solvent having a second surface tension lower than the first surface tension; and a third step of supplying the coating solution to a central portion of the solvent supplied in the second step while rotating the substrate to diffuse the treatment solution and the solvent on the substrate to thereby diffuse the coating solution on an entire surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kousuke Yoshihara, Katsunori Ichino, Tomohiro Iseki