Patents by Inventor Kenji Kodera
Kenji Kodera 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).
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Publication number: 20240316600Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning apparatus and a substrate cleaning method for cleaning a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, and more particularly to a substrate cleaning apparatus and a substrate cleaning method for cleaning a periphery of a substrate. A substrate cleaning apparatus (1) includes: a substrate holder (10) configured to hold and rotate a substrate (W); a pressing structure (22) having an internal space (R) and configured to press a cleaning tape (19) against a periphery of the substrate (W); a pressing-structure moving mechanism (30) configured to regulate a position of the pressing structure (22) in a radial direction of the substrate (W); and a pressure regulator (44) configured to regulate pressure in the internal space (R). The pressing structure (22) includes: a hollow support member (24) having an opening (25); and an elastic element (27) configured to support the cleaning tape (19). The elastic element (27) is arranged to close the opening (25).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2021Publication date: September 26, 2024Inventors: Kenji KODERA, Masayuki NAKANISHI
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Patent number: 12030092Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning method and a substrate cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate, such as a wafer. The substrate cleaning method includes: holding a periphery of a substrate (W) with holding rollers (6); rotating the substrate (W) about its central axis by rotating the holding rollers (6) about their respective central axes; delivering a two-fluid jet from a two-fluid jet nozzle (2) to a surface of the substrate (W) while moving the two-fluid jet nozzle (2) in a radial direction of the substrate (W), the two-fluid jet (2) being composed of a mixture of a first liquid and a gas; and when the two-fluid jet is being delivered to the surface of the substrate (W), delivering a fan-shaped jet of a second liquid from a spray nozzle (3) to the surface of the substrate (W) to form a flow of the second liquid on the surface of the substrate (W). The fan-shaped jet is located away from the two-fluid jet.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2020Date of Patent: July 9, 2024Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Kenji Kodera, Keisuke Uchiyama, Satoru Yamamoto, Hokuto Yamanobe
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Publication number: 20220288650Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate cleaning method and a substrate cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate, such as a wafer. The substrate cleaning method includes: holding a periphery of a substrate (W) with holding rollers (6); rotating the substrate (W) about its central axis by rotating the holding rollers (6) about their respective central axes; delivering a two-fluid jet from a two-fluid jet nozzle (2) to a surface of the substrate (W) while moving the two-fluid jet nozzle (2) in a radial direction of the substrate (W), the two-fluid jet (2) being composed of a mixture of a first liquid and a gas; and when the two-fluid jet is being delivered to the surface of the substrate (W), delivering a fan-shaped jet of a second liquid from a spray nozzle (3) to the surface of the substrate (W) to form a flow of the second liquid on the surface of the substrate (W). The fan-shaped jet is located away from the two-fluid jet.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2020Publication date: September 15, 2022Inventors: Kenji Kodera, Keisuke Uchiyama, Satoru Yamamoto, Hokuto Yamanobe
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Patent number: 11331766Abstract: One object is to improve the uniformity of polishing of a substrate. The present application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate polishing device for a quadrilateral-shaped substrate, the device including: a surface plate; a substrate support mechanism that is attached to the surface plate and that supports the substrate; a polishing head mechanism for attaching a polishing pad, the polishing head mechanism opposing the surface plate; and an orbital drive mechanism for orbitally driving the polishing head mechanism. The substrate support mechanism includes: a base plate; a plate flow passage provided to the base plate; and a plurality of substrate support chambers that are connected to the plate flow passage, wherein each substrate support chamber independently applies a vertical direction force to the substrate, and the vertical direction force applied to the substrate corresponds to an internal pressure of the substrate support chamber.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2018Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Masayuki Nakanishi, Kenji Kodera
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Patent number: 10639727Abstract: A vacuum suction pad capable of making it more difficult to separate a substrate when the substrate is held by vacuum suction, the vacuum suction pad 8 including: a pad main body 37 having a lower surface adhered to a stage 5 of a substrate holder 2; and a plurality of circular arc-shaped substrate holding convexities 38, provided on a top surface of the pad main body 37, for holding a substrate W attracted by vacuum suction to the top surface of the pad main body 37, wherein the substrate holding convexities 38 are arranged concentrically with the circular pad main body 37, and width W1 in a radial direction of the substrate holding convexity 38 located on a radially outer side among the plurality of substrate holding convexities 38 is narrower than width W2 in the radial direction of the substrate holding convexity 38 on a radially inner side.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2018Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Satoru Yamamoto, Masayuki Nakanishi, Kenji Kodera
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Patent number: 10632588Abstract: A polishing apparatus which can keep a width of a polishing tool constant when a peripheral portion of a substrate is polished by the polishing tool is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate holder 3 configured to hold a substrate W and to rotate the substrate W, and a pressing pad 50 configured to press a polishing tool 23 against a peripheral portion of the substrate W held by the substrate holder 3. The pressing pad 50 includes an elastic member 55 having a pressing surface 55a configured to press the polishing tool 23 against the peripheral portion of the substrate W and a support member 56 configured to support the elastic member 55. The support member 56 has a recess 57 formed in a front surface 56a of the support member 56, the elastic member 55 being capable of entering the recess 57.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2017Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Masayuki Nakanishi, Kenji Kodera, Yasuyuki Miyasawa
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Patent number: 10632587Abstract: To provide a polishing apparatus capable of polishing bevel portions of varying shape by selecting a suitable polishing recipe, based on a state before polishing. The polishing apparatus 100 comprises: a holding/polishing unit 102 for holding and polishing a workpiece W1; and an identifying unit 104 for identifying data 104a associated with a state of the peripheral portion of the substrate W1 before polishing. The holding/polishing unit 102 comprises: a holder 106 for holding and rotating the substrate W1; and a polisher 108 for polishing the peripheral portion of the substrate W1 by pressing a polishing member against the peripheral portion. A polishing-condition determiner 110 determines a polishing condition, based on data 104a indicating to which type, of a plurality of shape-related types, the shape of a given peripheral portion belongs.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2017Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Masayuki Nakanishi, Toshifumi Watanabe, Kenji Kodera
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Publication number: 20200023490Abstract: A polishing apparatus capable of accurately detecting a polishing end point of a periphery of a substrate, such as a wafer, is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing head configured to press a polishing tool against the periphery of the substrate on a substrate holding surface. The polishing head includes a pressing member configured to press the polishing tool against the periphery of the substrate, and a shear-force detection sensor configured to detect a shear force acting on the pressing member and output an index value indicating a magnitude of the shear force. An operation controller has a memory storing a program configured to determine a polishing end point at which the index value reaches a threshold value, and a processer configured to execute the program.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2019Publication date: January 23, 2020Inventors: Masayuki Nakanishi, Kenji Kodera
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Publication number: 20190385834Abstract: A substrate processing method capable of preventing an adherence of a foreign matter to a substrate is disclosed. The substrate processing method comprises: a substrate rotating step of rotating a substrate W while holding the substrate W; a first-liquid upper supply step of supplying a first liquid onto an upper surface of the substrate W while rotating the substrate W; a polishing step of pressing a polishing tape 23 to the substrate W while supplying the first liquid in a state of rotating the substrate W; a second-liquid upper supply step of supplying a second liquid onto the upper surface of the substrate W while rotating the substrate W; and a cleaning step of pressing a cleaning tape 29 to the substrate W while supplying the second liquid in a state of rotating the substrate W and terminating after the polishing step is terminated. The second liquid is either of a conducting water, a surfactant solution, or ozone water.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2019Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventors: Masayuki Nakanishi, Satoru Yamamoto, Kenji Kodera
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Publication number: 20190134776Abstract: One object is to improve the uniformity of polishing of a substrate. The present application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate polishing device for a quadrilateral-shaped substrate, the device including: a surface plate; a substrate support mechanism that is attached to the surface plate and that supports the substrate; a polishing head mechanism for attaching a polishing pad, the polishing head mechanism opposing the surface plate; and an orbital drive mechanism for orbitally driving the polishing head mechanism. The substrate support mechanism includes: a base plate; a plate flow passage provided to the base plate; and a plurality of substrate support chambers that are connected to the plate flow passage, wherein each substrate support chamber independently applies a vertical direction force to the substrate, and the vertical direction force applied to the substrate corresponds to an internal pressure of the substrate support chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2018Publication date: May 9, 2019Inventors: Masayuki NAKANISHI, Kenji KODERA
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Publication number: 20180286772Abstract: A vacuum suction pad capable of making it more difficult to separate a substrate when the substrate is held by vacuum suction, the vacuum suction pad 8 including: a pad main body 37 having a lower surface adhered to a stage 5 of a substrate holder 2; and a plurality of circular arc-shaped substrate holding convexities 38, provided on a top surface of the pad main body 37, for holding a substrate W attracted by vacuum suction to the top surface of the pad main body 37, wherein the substrate holding convexities 38 are arranged concentrically with the circular pad main body 37, and width W1 in a radial direction of the substrate holding convexity 38 located on a radially outer side among the plurality of substrate holding convexities 38 is narrower than width W2 in the radial direction of the substrate holding convexity 38 on a radially inner side.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Satoru YAMAMOTO, Masayuki NAKANISHI, Kenji KODERA
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Publication number: 20180169820Abstract: A polishing apparatus which can keep a width of a polishing tool constant when a peripheral portion of a substrate is polished by the polishing tool is disclosed. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate holder 3 configured to hold a substrate W and to rotate the substrate W and a pressing pad 50 configured to press a polishing tool 23 against a peripheral portion of the substrate W held by the substrate holder 3. The pressing pad 50 includes an elastic member 55 having a pressing surface 55a configured to press the polishing tool 23 against the peripheral portion of the substrate W and a support member 56 configured to support the elastic member 55. The support member 56 has a recess 57 formed in a front surface 56a of the support member 56, the elastic member 55 being capable of entering the recess 57.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2017Publication date: June 21, 2018Inventors: Masayuki NAKANISHI, Kenji KODERA, Yasuyuki MIYASAWA
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Publication number: 20180133861Abstract: To provide a polishing apparatus capable of polishing bevel portions of varying shape by selecting a suitable polishing recipe, based on a state before polishing. The polishing apparatus 100 comprises: a holding/polishing unit 102 for holding and polishing a workpiece W1; and an identifying unit 104 for identifying data 104a associated with a state of the peripheral portion of the substrate W1 before polishing. The holding/polishing unit 102 comprises: a holder 106 for holding and rotating the substrate W1; and a polisher 108 for polishing the peripheral portion of the substrate W1 by pressing a polishing member against the peripheral portion. A polishing-condition determiner 110 determines a polishing condition, based on data 104a indicating to which type, of a plurality of shape-related types, the shape of a given peripheral portion belongs.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2017Publication date: May 17, 2018Inventors: Masayuki NAKANISHI, Toshifumi WATANABE, Kenji KODERA
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Patent number: 9666440Abstract: A polishing apparatus 100 includes a holding stage 4 that holds a central portion of a back surface of a substrate W, a motor M1 that rotates the holding stage 4, a front surface nozzle 36 that feeds a rinse liquid to a front surface of the substrate W, a back surface nozzle 37 that feeds the rinse liquid to a back surface of the substrate W, a rinse liquid control section 110 that feeds the rinse liquid through the back surface nozzle 37 after a preset time elapses since the start of feeding of the rinse liquid through the front surface nozzle 36 and a polishing head assembly 1A that polishes a peripheral portion of the substrate installed on the holding stage 4 after the rinse liquid control section 110 feeds the rinse liquid to the substrate W.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2013Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Masayuki Nakanishi, Kenji Kodera, Nobuhiro Yanaka
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Patent number: 9492910Abstract: There is disclosed a method of polishing a peripheral portion of a wafer having a hard film with use of an abrasive film while preventing damage to the abrasive film. The polishing method uses an abrasive film including a base film made of polyimide, a binder made of polyimide, and abrasive grains held by the binder. The polishing method includes: rotating a silicon substrate having a surface on which a silicon carbide film is formed; and removing the silicon carbide film from a peripheral portion of the silicon substrate by pressing the abrasive film at a low force against the silicon carbide film on the peripheral portion of the silicon substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2015Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Yu Ishii, Hiroyuki Kawasaki, Masayuki Nakanishi, Kenya Ito, Kenji Kodera, Michiyoshi Yamashita
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Patent number: D834075Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2017Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Kenji Kamimura, Masayuki Nakanishi, Satoru Yamamoto, Yasuyuki Miyasawa, Kenji Kodera
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Patent number: D851140Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2018Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Kenji Kamimura, Masayuki Nakanishi, Satoru Yamamoto, Yasuyuki Miyasawa, Kenji Kodera
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Patent number: D851141Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2018Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Kenji Kamimura, Masayuki Nakanishi, Satoru Yamamoto, Yasuyuki Miyasawa, Kenji Kodera
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Patent number: D851142Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2018Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Kenji Kamimura, Masayuki Nakanishi, Satoru Yamamoto, Yasuyuki Miyasawa, Kenji Kodera
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Patent number: D859331Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2017Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Satoru Yamamoto, Masayuki Nakanishi, Kenji Kodera