Patents by Inventor Kenichi Shigetomi

Kenichi Shigetomi 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: 11476136
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes plural heating modules each including a table on which a substrate is placed to be heated, the substrate having plural heated zones. The table has plural heaters each assigned to heat respective ones of the heated zones. Heat generation of the heaters is controlled independently. A control unit controls the heaters such that integrated quantities of heat of the respective heated zones given by the corresponding heaters from first to second time point are substantially identical to each other in each of the heating modules, and are substantially identical to each other among the heating modules. The first time point is set when a temperature transition profile of the substrate is rising toward a process temperature after placing the substrate on the table under a condition where heat generation of the heaters is stable. The second time point is set after the temperature transition profile reaches the process temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Shigetomi, Takeshi Saikusa, Eiichi Sekimoto, Takayuki Fukudome, Kousuke Yoshihara, Suguru Enokida, Kazuhiro Takeshita, Kazuto Umeki
  • Patent number: 10886151
    Abstract: Time periods required for a wafer W to reach a reference temperature are made to be uniform between heating modules 2 and between heating target regions in a temperature rising time period after the wafer W is placed on a heating plate 23, and temperature rise curves of temperature transition profiles in a temperature rise transition time period are made to be same. Therefore, the temperature transition profiles of the heating target regions are all same, and total heat amounts in the temperature rise transition time period are uniform within a surface of the wafer W and between the heating modules 2, so that a line width of a pattern formed on the wafer W becomes uniform. Thus, it is possible to perform a heating treatment with high uniformity within the surface of the wafer W and between the wafers W processed in the different heating modules 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenichi Shigetomi, Takeshi Saikusa, Takayuki Fukudome
  • Publication number: 20200066559
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes plural heating modules each including a table on which a substrate is placed to be heated, the substrate having plural heated zones. The table has plural heaters each assigned to heat respective ones of the heated zones. Heat generation of the heaters is controlled independently. A control unit controls the heaters such that integrated quantities of heat of the respective heated zones given by the corresponding heaters from first to second time point are substantially identical to each other in each of the heating modules, and are substantially identical to each other among the heating modules. The first time point is set when a temperature transition profile of the substrate is rising toward a process temperature after placing the substrate on the table under a condition where heat generation of the heaters is stable. The second time point is set after the temperature transition profile reaches the process temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Shigetomi, Takeshi Saikusa, Eiichi Sekimoto, Takayuki Fukudome, Kousuke Yoshihara, Suguru Enokida, Kazuhiro Takeshita, Kazuto Umeki
  • Patent number: 10504757
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes plural heating modules each including a table on which a substrate is placed to be heated, the substrate having plural heated zones. The table has plural heaters each assigned to heat respective ones of the heated zones. Heat generation of the heaters is controlled independently. A control unit controls the heaters such that integrated quantities of heat of the respective heated zones given by the corresponding heaters from first to second time point are substantially identical to each other in each of the heating modules, and are substantially identical to each other among the heating modules. The first time point is set when a temperature transition profile of the substrate is rising toward a process temperature after placing the substrate on the table under a condition where heat generation of the heaters is stable. The second time point is set after the temperature transition profile reaches the process temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Shigetomi, Takeshi Saikusa, Eiichi Sekimoto, Takayuki Fukudome, Kousuke Yoshihara, Suguru Enokida, Kazuhiro Takeshita, Kazuto Umeki
  • Publication number: 20180218925
    Abstract: Time periods required for a wafer W to reach a reference temperature are made to be uniform between heating modules 2 and between heating target regions in a temperature rising time period after the wafer W is placed on a heating plate 23, and temperature rise curves of temperature transition profiles in a temperature rise transition time period are made to be same. Therefore, the temperature transition profiles of the heating target regions are all same, and total heat amounts in the temperature rise transition time period are uniform within a surface of the wafer W and between the heating modules 2, so that a line width of a pattern formed on the wafer W becomes uniform. Thus, it is possible to perform a heating treatment with high uniformity within the surface of the wafer W and between the wafers W processed in the different heating modules 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Kenichi Shigetomi, Takeshi Saikusa, Takayuki Fukudome
  • Publication number: 20170170040
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes plural heating modules each including a table on which a substrate is placed to be heated, the substrate having plural heated zones. The table has plural heaters each assigned to heat respective ones of the heated zones. Heat generation of the heaters is controlled independently. A control unit controls the heaters such that integrated quantities of heat of the respective heated zones given by the corresponding heaters from first to second time point are substantially identical to each other in each of the heating modules, and are substantially identical to each other among the heating modules. The first time point is set when a temperature transition profile of the substrate is rising toward a process temperature after placing the substrate on the table under a condition where heat generation of the heaters is stable. The second time point is set after the temperature transition profile reaches the process temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi SHIGETOMI, Takeshi SAIKUSA, Eiichi SEKIMOTO, Takayuki FUKUDOME, Kousuke YOSHIHARA, Suguru ENOKIDA, Kazuhiro TAKESHITA, Kazuto UMEKI
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8916804
    Abstract: Provided is a thermal processing method including a first process comprising changing a set temperature of the heating plate from a first temperature to a second temperature; initiating a thermal processing for a first substrate before the temperature of the heating plate reaches the second temperature; obtaining temperature data of the heating plate after the thermal processing is initiated; changing the set temperature of the heating plate from the second temperature when the set temperature reaches the second temperature; and thermal processing of the first substrate using the heating plate for which the set temperature has been changed. The method further includes a second process comprising reinstating the temperature of the heating plate to the second temperature after the thermal processing of the first substrate; and thermal processing of a next substrate using the heating plate while the temperature of the heating plate is maintained at the second temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Kenichi Shigetomi
  • Patent number: 8378272
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat treatment apparatus for performing a heat treatment on an object to-be-processed by a heater, which can inhibit variation in thermal histories among the objects to-be-processed. The heat treatment apparatus includes, among others, a correction part to correct a power control signal output from an adjusting unit so that a conduction rate of an AC voltage applied to a heater is decreased. Specifically, the correction is performed based on a value obtained by multiplying a first correction value with a second correction value, where the first correction value is generated according to a ratio of the voltage detection value of AC power source to a predetermined reference voltage, and the second correction value is generated according to a ratio of the resistance value of the heater to a predetermined reference resistance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Shigetomi, Tsutomu Fukunaga, Yasuhiro Uchida
  • Patent number: 8138456
    Abstract: In the present invention, a plurality of suction ports are provided in a heating plate of a heat processing apparatus. The suction ports are provided at a central portion, an intermediate portion, and a peripheral portion of a substrate mounting surface of the heating plate, respectively. The warped state of the substrate before heat-processed is measured, so that when the substrate warps protruding downward, the suction start timing via a suction port corresponding to the outer peripheral portion of the substrate is set to be relatively early as compared to the suction start timings via the other suction ports, and when the substrate warps protruding upward, the suction start timing via the suction port corresponding to the central portion of the substrate is set to be relatively early as compared to the suction start timings via the other suction ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Fukuda, Kenichi Shigetomi, Shouken Moro
  • Publication number: 20120031894
    Abstract: Provided is a thermal processing method including a first process comprising changing a set temperature of the heating plate from a first temperature to a second temperature; initiating a thermal processing for a first substrate before the temperature of the heating plate reaches the second temperature; obtaining temperature data of the heating plate after the thermal processing is initiated; changing the set temperature of the heating plate from the second temperature when the set temperature reaches the second temperature; and thermal processing of the first substrate using the heating plate for which the set temperature has been changed. The method further includes a second process comprising reinstating the temperature of the heating plate to the second temperature after the thermal processing of the first substrate; and thermal processing of a next substrate using the heating plate while the temperature of the heating plate is maintained at the second temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventor: Kenichi Shigetomi
  • Publication number: 20120031892
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of a thermal processing including a first process and a second process. The first process between first wafer (initial wafer) W1 and second wafer (next wafer) W2 (and subsequent wafers W), comprises changing a set temperature of a heating plate from a first temperature to a second temperature which is lower than the first temperature; and initiating a thermal processing for a first substrate before the temperature of the heating plate reaches the second temperature. The second process comprises changing the set temperature of the heating plate from the second temperature to a third temperature which is higher than the second temperature, after the first process for the first substrate is completed; and initiating a thermal processing for a second substrate when the temperature of the heating plate is changed from the third temperature to the second temperature after the temperature of the heating plate reached the third temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Kenichi Shigetomi, Jun Ookura
  • Publication number: 20110210116
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat treatment apparatus for performing a heat treatment on an object to-be-processed by a heater, which can inhibit variation in thermal histories among the objects to-be-processed. The heat treatment apparatus includes, among others, a correction part to correct a power control signal output from an adjusting unit so that a conduction rate of an AC voltage applied to a heater is decreased. Specifically, the correction is performed based on a value obtained by multiplying a first correction value with a second correction value, where the first correction value is generated according to a ratio of the voltage detection value of AC power source to a predetermined reference voltage, and the second correction value is generated according to a ratio of the resistance value of the heater to a predetermined reference resistance value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenichi SHIGETOMI, Tsutomu FUKUNAGA, Yasuhiro UCHIDA
  • Publication number: 20070257085
    Abstract: In the present invention, a plurality of suction ports are provided in a heating plate of a heat processing apparatus. The suction ports are provided at a central portion, an intermediate portion, and a peripheral portion of a substrate mounting surface of the heating plate, respectively. The warped state of the substrate before heat-processed is measured, so that when the substrate warps protruding downward, the suction start timing via a suction port corresponding to the outer peripheral portion of the substrate is set to be relatively early as compared to the suction start timings via the other suction ports, and when the substrate warps protruding upward, the suction start timing via the suction port corresponding to the central portion of the substrate is set to be relatively early as compared to the suction start timings via the other suction ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Fukuda, Kenichi Shigetomi, Shouken Moro
  • Patent number: 7049553
    Abstract: Immediately after a cold substrate G is placed on a substrate table 3, a large electric power P1 is supplied to a heating element 32 embedded in the substrate table for a time period T1 so that temperature of the substrate table overshoots a target temperature, and thereafter zero or very small electric power P2 is supplied to the heating element for a time period T2 so that the temperature of the substrate table 3 is lowered to the target temperature while temperature of the substrate continues to rise up to the target temperature. When both the temperature of the substrate table and of the substrate reaches approximately to the target temperature after the time period T2 has elapsed, control of the electric power is entrusted to a PID controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Shigetomi, Nobuyuki Sata, Toshichika Takei, Masatoshi Kaneda
  • Publication number: 20040250762
    Abstract: Immediately after a cold substrate G is placed on a substrate table 3, a large electric power P1 is supplied to a heating element 32 embedded in the substrate table for a time period T1 so that temperature of the substrate table overshoots a target temperature, and thereafter zero or very small electric power P2 is supplied to the heating element for a time period T2 so that the temperature of the substrate table 3 is lowered to the target temperature while temperature of the substrate continues to rise up to the target temperature. When both the temperature of the substrate table and of the substrate reaches approximately to the target temperature after the time period T2 has elapsed, control of the electric power is entrusted to a PID controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenichi Shigetomi, Nobuyuki Sata, Toshichika Takei, Masatoshi Kaneda
  • Patent number: 5176552
    Abstract: A luminous float includes a float body, a resistance plate and a light-emitting device, and causes the light-emitting device to emit light by electricity generated by a dynamo through the relative motions of the float body and the resistance plate, which are caused by waves and tidal currents. In a preferred embodiment, a contractible and extensible bellows provided at the bottom of the float body is connected with the resistance plate through a connecting element. Furthermore, one end of a spring is coupled to an inner member of the float body, and the other end of the spring is coupled to the bottom of the bellows through a coupling means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignees: Ohumi Tsusho Kabushiki Kaisha, Iron Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeo Kuboyama, Kenichi Shigetomi, Hideki Noda, Yasu Osaka, Yuji Osaka