Patents by Inventor Keiji Tanouchi

Keiji Tanouchi 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: 20220277968
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate includes supplying, to a substrate which does not have a resist formed thereon, a film-forming processing liquid which includes a volatile component and forms a processing film, volatilizing the volatile component of the film-forming processing liquid such that the film-forming processing liquid on the substrate is solidified or cured and that the processing film is formed on the substrate, heating a peeling processing liquid which peels off the processing film from the substrate without dissolving the processing film such that a heated peeling processing liquid is prepared, and supplying, to the processing film formed on the substrate, the heated peeling processing liquid such that the heated peeling processing liquid peels off the processing film from the substrate without dissolving the processing film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Miyako KANEKO, Keiji TANOUCHI, Takehiko ORII, Itaru KANNO, Meitoku AIBARA, Satoru TANAKA
  • Patent number: 11367630
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate includes supplying to a substrate on which a resist layer is not formed a film-forming processing liquid which includes a volatile component and forms a film on the substrate, forming a processing film on the substrate by solidifying or curing the film-forming processing liquid supplied on the substrate, and supplying to the substrate having the processing film a strip-processing liquid which strips the processing film from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Miyako Kaneko, Keiji Tanouchi, Takehiko Orii, Itaru Kanno, Meitoku Aibara, Satoru Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20210358761
    Abstract: An etching method includes a step of preparing a substrate having a portion to be etched, a step of plasma-etching the portion to be etched of the substrate into a predetermined pattern using plasma of a processing gas containing a CF-based gas, and then a step of removing a CF-based deposit which remains as an etching residue. The step of removing the CF-based deposit includes a step of forming an oxide including an oxide of the CF-based deposit using oxygen-containing radicals, and a step of removing the generated oxide by radical processing or chemical processing using gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Nobuhiro TAKAHASHI, Keiji TANOUCHI, Shinji IRIE, Akitaka SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20200395230
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate includes supplying to a substrate on which a resist layer is not formed a film-forming processing liquid which includes a volatile component and forms a film on the substrate, forming a processing film on the substrate by solidifying or curing the film-forming processing liquid supplied on the substrate, and supplying to the substrate having the processing film a strip-processing liquid which strips the processing film from the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Miyako KANEKO, Keiji TANOUCHI, Takehiko ORII, Itaru KANNO, Meitoku AIBARA, Satoru Satoru
  • Patent number: 10811283
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate includes supplying to a substrate a film-forming processing liquid which includes a volatile component and forms a film on the substrate, vaporizing the volatile component in the film-forming processing liquid such that the film-forming processing liquid solidifies or cures on the substrate and forms a processing film on the substrate, supplying to the substrate having the processing film a strip-processing liquid which strips the processing film from the substrate, and supplying to the processing film formed on the substrate a dissolving-processing liquid which dissolves the processing film after the supplying of the strip-processing liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Miyako Kaneko, Keiji Tanouchi, Takehiko Orii, Itaru Kanno, Meitoku Aibara, Satoru Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20190181056
    Abstract: There is provided a method of etching a silicon-containing film formed on a substrate, comprising: supplying an etching gas including a fluorine-containing gas having a smaller molecular weight than ClF3 to the silicon-containing film; and controlling etching amounts at a central portion and an outer peripheral portion of the silicon-containing film by controlling a flow velocity of the etching gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Nobuhiro TAKAHASHI, Koji TAKEYA, Keiji TANOUCHI
  • Patent number: 10121659
    Abstract: The present invention, when forming a pattern on a substrate, forms a film of a block copolymer containing at least two polymers on the substrate, heats the film of the block copolymer under a solvent vapor atmosphere to subject the block copolymer to phase separation, and removes one of the polymers in the film of the phase-separated block copolymer, thereby accelerating fluidization of the polymers of the block copolymer to enable acceleration of the phase separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Muramatsu, Takahiro Kitano, Tadatoshi Tomita, Keiji Tanouchi
  • Patent number: 10043652
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate, includes supplying to a substrate having a hydrophilic surface a film-forming processing liquid which includes a volatile component and forms a film on the substrate, vaporizing the volatile component in the film-forming processing liquid such that the film-forming processing liquid solidifies or cures on the substrate and forms a processing film on the hydrophilic surface of the substrate, and supplying to the substrate having the processing film a strip-processing liquid for stripping the processing film from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Miyako Kaneko, Keiji Tanouchi, Takehiko Orii, Itaru Kanno
  • Publication number: 20180182610
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate includes supplying to a substrate a film-forming processing liquid which includes a volatile component and forms a film on the substrate, vaporizing the volatile component in the film-forming processing liquid such that the film-forming processing liquid solidifies or cures on the substrate and forms a processing film on the substrate, supplying to the substrate having the processing film a strip-processing liquid which strips the processing film from the substrate, and supplying to the processing film formed on the substrate a dissolving-processing liquid which dissolves the processing film after the supplying of the strip-processing liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Miyako KANEKO, Keiji TANOUCHI, Takehiko ORll, ltaru KANNO, Meitoku AlBARA, Satoru TANAKA
  • Patent number: 9953826
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate includes supplying to a substrate a film-forming processing liquid which includes a volatile component and forms a film on the substrate, vaporizing the volatile component in the film-forming processing liquid such that the film-forming processing liquid solidifies or cures on the substrate and forms a processing film on the substrate, supplying to the substrate having the processing film a strip-processing liquid which strips the processing film from the substrate, and supplying to the processing film formed on the substrate a dissolving-processing liquid which dissolves the processing film after the supplying of the strip-processing liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Miyako Kaneko, Keiji Tanouchi, Takehiko Orii, Itaru Kanno, Meitoku Aibara, Satoru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9881784
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing method. The method includes: supplying a rinse liquid, IPA, a first fluorine-containing organic solvent, a second fluorine-containing organic solvent to a wafer within an outer chamber of a liquid processing unit; conveying the wafer to a supercritical processing unit container; and supplying a supercritical processing fluorine-containing organic solvent in a supercritical high-pressure fluid state to the wafer within the supercritical processing unit container. At least during the supply of the IPA, a low-humidity N2 gas is supplied into the outer chamber so that the inside of the outer chamber is formed as a low-humidity N2 gas atmosphere, and thus moisture absorption into the IPA is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hiroki Ohno, Keiji Tanouchi, Kazuyuki Mitsuoka, Takehiko Orii, Takayuki Toshima
  • Publication number: 20180019118
    Abstract: The present invention, when forming a pattern on a substrate, forms a film of a block copolymer containing at least two polymers on the substrate, heats the film of the block copolymer under a solvent vapor atmosphere to subject the block copolymer to phase separation, and removes one of the polymers in the film of the phase-separated block copolymer, thereby accelerating fluidization of the polymers of the block copolymer to enable acceleration of the phase separation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Makoto MURAMATSU, Takahiro KITANO, Tadatoshi TOMITA, Keiji TANOUCHI
  • Patent number: 9859118
    Abstract: The present invention, when forming a pattern on a substrate, forms a film of a block copolymer containing at least two polymers on the substrate, heats the film of the block copolymer under a solvent vapor atmosphere to subject the block copolymer to phase separation, and removes one of the polymers in the film of the phase-separated block copolymer, thereby accelerating fluidization of the polymers of the block copolymer to enable acceleration of the phase separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Muramatsu, Takahiro Kitano, Tadatoshi Tomita, Keiji Tanouchi
  • Patent number: 9748101
    Abstract: The present invention is configured to: form, on a substrate, a neutral layer having an intermediate affinity to a hydrophilic polymer and a hydrophobic polymer; form a resist pattern by performing exposure processing on a resist film formed on the neutral layer and then developing the resist film after the exposure processing; perform a surface treatment on the resist pattern by supplying an organic solvent having a polarity to the resist pattern; apply the block copolymer onto the neutral layer; and phase-separate the block copolymer on the neutral layer into the hydrophilic polymer and the hydrophobic polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Muramatsu, Takahiro Kitano, Tadatoshi Tomita, Keiji Tanouchi, Soichiro Okada
  • Patent number: 9618849
    Abstract: The present invention is a pattern forming method of forming a pattern on a substrate using a block copolymer, the pattern forming method including the steps of: forming a film of a block copolymer containing at least two kinds of polymers on the substrate; heating the film of the block copolymer; irradiating the heated film of the block copolymer with ultraviolet light in an atmosphere of an inert gas; and supplying an organic solvent to the film of the block copolymer irradiated with the ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Muramatsu, Takahiro Kitano, Tadatoshi Tomita, Keiji Tanouchi
  • Patent number: 9530645
    Abstract: A photoresist pattern used for forming a pattern of a block copolymer is formed on a substrate, and then an acid solution is supplied and an alkaline solution is further supplied to the photoresist pattern so as to slim and smooth the photoresist pattern. A block copolymer solution is applied to the substrate on which the smoothed photoresist pattern has been formed, to form a film of the block copolymer, and the film is heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Muramatsu, Takahiro Kitano, Tadatoshi Tomita, Keiji Tanouchi
  • Publication number: 20160293403
    Abstract: The present invention, when forming a pattern on a substrate, forms a film of a block copolymer containing at least two polymers on the substrate, heats the film of the block copolymer under a solvent vapor atmosphere to subject the block copolymer to phase separation, and removes one of the polymers in the film of the phase-separated block copolymer, thereby accelerating fluidization of the polymers of the block copolymer to enable acceleration of the phase separation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Makoto MURAMATSU, Takahiro KITANO, Tadatoshi TOMITA, Keiji TANOUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160118242
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing method. The method includes: supplying a rinse liquid, IPA, a first fluorine-containing organic solvent, a second fluorine-containing organic solvent to a wafer within an outer chamber of a liquid processing unit; conveying the wafer to a supercritical processing unit container; and supplying a supercritical processing fluorine-containing organic solvent in a supercritical high-pressure fluid state to the wafer within the supercritical processing unit container. At least during the supply of the IPA, a low-humidity N2 gas is supplied into the outer chamber so that the inside of the outer chamber is formed as a low-humidity N2 gas atmosphere, and thus moisture absorption into the IPA is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Hiroki Ohno, Keiji Tanouchi, Kazuyuki Mitsuoka, Takehiko Orii, Takayuki Toshima
  • Publication number: 20150255271
    Abstract: The present invention is configured to: form, on a substrate, a neutral layer having an intermediate affinity to a hydrophilic polymer and a hydrophobic polymer; form a resist pattern by performing exposure processing on a resist film formed on the neutral layer and then developing the resist film after the exposure processing; perform a surface treatment on the resist pattern by supplying an organic solvent having a polarity to the resist pattern; apply the block copolymer onto the neutral layer; and phase-separate the block copolymer on the neutral layer into the hydrophilic polymer and the hydrophobic polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Makoto Muramatsu, Takahiro Kitano, Tadatoshi Tomita, Keiji Tanouchi, Soichiro Okada
  • Publication number: 20150228512
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of treating a substrate using a block copolymer containing a first polymer and a second polymer, the method including: a block copolymer coating step of applying the block copolymer onto a substrate or a base film applied on the substrate; and a polymer separation step of phase-separating the block copolymer into the first polymer and the second polymer by thermally treating the block copolymer on the substrate in a non-oxidizing gas atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Makoto Muramatsu, Takahiro Kitano, Tadatoshi Tomita, Keiji Tanouchi, Kazutoshi Yano, Kenichi Shigetomi, Akihiro Toyozawa