Patents by Inventor Keiichi Nagakubo

Keiichi Nagakubo 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: 20220013385
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a load port, a load lock chamber, a processing module, a substrate transport mechanism, and a controller. The substrate transport mechanism includes a plurality of substrate holders, each of which is configured hold one substrate. The controller is configured to control, when the processing module is configured to process one substrate at a time, the substrate transport mechanism such that a first substrate holder transports the substrate between the load port and the processing module and a second substrate holder transports the substrate between the load lock chamber and the processing module. The controller is further configured to control, when the processing module is configured to simultaneously process the plurality of substrates, the substrate transport mechanism such that the plurality of substrate holders simultaneously transport the plurality of substrates between the load port, the load lock chamber, and the processing module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Eiki ENDO, Hidetada KANEMARU, Yasuhiro SAITO, Keiichi NAGAKUBO, Yoshihide SAKAMOTO, Tomonori IWASAKI
  • Patent number: 11148179
    Abstract: A substrate processing system comprising: a heat treatment chamber configured to sublimate by-products by heat; and a substrate carrier configured to load a substrate into the heat treatment chamber, the substrate carrier including a holder for holding the substrate, and a controller configured to control operations of the heat treatment chamber, the substrate carrier, and the holder, wherein the controller is programmed to control the sublimation to, (a) maintain a temperature of the holding unit at a level equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, while (b) inhibiting thermal damage to the substrate transfer mechanism excluding the holding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Keiichi Nagakubo
  • Patent number: 10720356
    Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing apparatus having a transfer arm configured to transfer two substrates between a transfer chamber and a processing chamber having two mounting tables, the transfer arm holding the two substrates in a state where the two substrates overlap each other with a gap between the two substrates. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a lower substrate detection sensor configured to detect an edge portion of a lower substrate when the lower substrate is transferred; and an upper substrate detection sensor configured to detect an edge portion of an upper substrate when the upper substrate is transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Keiichi Nagakubo, Yoshiaki Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20200139413
    Abstract: A method is for cleaning a substrate transfer mechanism for loading a substrate into a heat treatment chamber for sublimating by-products by heat. The substrate transfer mechanism includes a holding unit for holding the substrate. The method includes repeatedly moving the holding unit into and out of the heat treatment chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventor: Keiichi NAGAKUBO
  • Patent number: 10569310
    Abstract: A method is for cleaning a substrate transfer mechanism for loading a substrate into a heat treatment chamber for sublimating by-products by heat. The substrate transfer mechanism includes a holding unit for holding the substrate. The method includes repeatedly moving the holding unit into and out of the heat treatment chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Keiichi Nagakubo
  • Publication number: 20190096702
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber in which a substrate is processed in a depressurized atmosphere and a transfer chamber connected to the processing chamber through a gate. A first gas supply unit is configured to supply an inert gas into the transfer chamber. A second gas supply unit is configured to supply an inert gas to the gate. A gas exhaust unit is configured to exhaust an atmosphere in the transfer chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Toshimitsu SAKAI, Sakae YAMASHITA, Keiichi NAGAKUBO, Yoshiaki SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20180082881
    Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing apparatus having a transfer arm configured to transfer two substrates between a transfer chamber and a processing chamber having two mounting tables, the transfer arm holding the two substrates in a state where the two substrates overlap each other with a gap between the two substrates. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a lower substrate detection sensor configured to detect an edge portion of a lower substrate when the lower substrate is transferred; and an upper substrate detection sensor configured to detect an edge portion of an upper substrate when the upper substrate is transferred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Keiichi NAGAKUBO, Yoshiaki SASAKI
  • Patent number: 9818583
    Abstract: An electrode plate for a plasma etching is formed as a disc shape having a predetermined thickness, a plurality of gas holes penetrating a surface of the electrode plate perpendicularly to the surface are provided on different circumferences of a plurality of concentric circles, the electrode plate is divided in a radial direction of the electrode plate into two or more regions, types of gas holes provided in the two or more regions are different from each other by region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Naoyuki Satoh, Nobuyuki Nagayama, Keiichi Nagakubo
  • Publication number: 20170266700
    Abstract: A method is for cleaning a substrate transfer mechanism for loading a substrate into a heat treatment chamber for sublimating by-products by heat. The substrate transfer mechanism includes a holding unit for holding the substrate. The method includes repeatedly moving the holding unit into and out of the heat treatment chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventor: Keiichi NAGAKUBO
  • Publication number: 20150348762
    Abstract: An electrode plate for a plasma etching is formed as a disc shape having a predetermined thickness, a plurality of gas holes penetrating a surface of the electrode plate perpendicularly to the surface are provided on different circumferences of a plurality of concentric circles, the electrode plate is divided in a radial direction of the electrode plate into two or more regions, types of gas holes provided in the two or more regions are different from each other by region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Naoyuki SATOH, Nobuyuki NAGAYAMA, Keiichi NAGAKUBO
  • Patent number: 9117635
    Abstract: An electrode plate for a plasma etching is formed as a disc shape having a predetermined thickness, a plurality of gas holes penetrating a surface of the electrode plate perpendicularly to the surface are provided on different circumferences of a plurality of concentric circles, the electrode plate is divided in a radial direction of the electrode plate into two or more regions, types of gas holes provided in the two or more regions are different from each other by region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Naoyuki Satoh, Nobuyuki Nagayama, Keiichi Nagakubo
  • Patent number: 8858712
    Abstract: An electrode for use in a plasma processing apparatus is provided above a lower electrode within a processing chamber so as to face the lower electrode serving as a mounting table configured to mount thereon a processing target substrate. The electrode includes an upper member provided with a plurality of gas passage holes through which a processing gas is supplied; and a lower member positioned below the upper member and provided with multiple sets of gas discharge holes through which the processing gas is discharged. Here, each gas passage hole may have a diameter larger than that of each gas discharge hole, each set of the gas discharge holes may communicate with corresponding one of the gas passage holes, and each set of the gas discharge holes may be arranged outside the rim of the corresponding one of the gas passage holes when viewed from a top thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Keiichi Nagakubo, Takahiro Miyai
  • Patent number: 8715782
    Abstract: In a surface processing method for processing a surface of a member made of silicon carbide (SiC) and having a fragmental layer on a surface thereof, the surface of the member having the fragmental layer is modified into a dense layer to reduce the number of particles generated from the surface of the member when the member is applied to a plasma processing apparatus. Here, the SiC of the surface of the member is recrystallized by heating the fragmental layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Naoyuki Satoh, Nobuyuki Nagayama, Keiichi Nagakubo
  • Publication number: 20130284375
    Abstract: A method of reusing a consumable part for use in a plasma processing apparatus includes cleaning a surface of the consumable part made of SiC that has been eroded by a first plasma process performed for a specific period of time. The method further includes depositing SiC on the cleaned surface of the eroded consumable part by CVD. The method also includes remanufacturing a consumable part having a predetermined shape by machining the eroded consumable part on which the SiC is deposited for performing a second plasma process on a substrate by using the remanufactured consumable part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Nobuyuki NAGAYAMA, Naoyuki SATOH, Keiichi NAGAKUBO, Kazuya NAGASEKI
  • Patent number: 8475622
    Abstract: A method of reusing a consumable part for use in a plasma processing apparatus includes cleaning a surface of the consumable part made of SiC that has been eroded by a first plasma process performed for a specific period of time. The method further includes depositing SiC on the cleaned surface of the eroded consumable part by CVD. The method also includes remanufacturing a consumable part having a predetermined shape by machining the eroded consumable part on which the SiC is deposited for performing a second plasma process on a substrate by using the remanufactured consumable part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Nagayama, Naoyuki Satoh, Keiichi Nagakubo, Kazuya Nagaseki
  • Patent number: 8318034
    Abstract: In a surface processing method for processing a surface of a member made of silicon carbide (SiC) and having a fragmental layer on a surface thereof, the surface of the member having the fragmental layer is modified into a dense layer to reduce the number of particles generated from the surface of the member when the member is applied to a plasma processing apparatus. Here, the SiC of the surface of the member is recrystallized by heating the fragmental layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Naoyuki Satoh, Nobuyuki Nagayama, Keiichi Nagakubo
  • Patent number: D699199
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yusei Kuwabara, Keiichi Nagakubo
  • Patent number: D699200
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Keiichi Nagakubo
  • Patent number: D709537
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yusei Kuwabara, Keiichi Nagakubo
  • Patent number: D709539
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yusei Kuwabara, Keiichi Nagakubo