Patents by Inventor Koichi Shigematsu

Koichi Shigematsu 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: 20230409018
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a holding unit for holding a workpiece thereon, a processing unit for processing the workpiece held on the holding unit, a moving mechanism for moving the holding unit and the processing unit relatively to each other, a processed state measuring unit for measuring a processed state of the workpiece, and a controller for controlling the processing unit, the moving mechanism, and the processed state measuring unit. The controller acquires processed state information of the workpiece from the processed state measuring unit, acquires vibration information regarding vibrations that are being produced while the processed state information is acquired, links the processed state information and the vibration information that have been acquired with each other, and stores the processed state information and the vibration information that have been linked with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Koichi SHIGEMATSU, Shuichiro TSUKIJI
  • Publication number: 20220102214
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a device chip includes removing a film in regions corresponding to streets, forming a modified layer inside a wafer by irradiating a laser beam from the back surface side of the wafer along regions corresponding to the regions from which the film has been removed, and giving an external force to the wafer to divide the wafer into individual device chips. In film removal, the distance from an end part of the street in the width direction to the region from which the film is to be removed is set equal to or shorter than a predetermined upper limit value to cause formation of a step between a region in which a substrate is exposed and a region coated with the film at an outer edge part of the device chip when the wafer is divided into the individual device chips in the dividing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Koichi SHIGEMATSU, Kei TANAKA
  • Patent number: 11181883
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a processing apparatus including a processing unit, alignment unit, and controller. The controller includes a reference program storing section previously storing a reference program for use in processing a predetermined workpiece, a reference result recording section for rating the result of processing performed to the predetermined workpiece by the processing unit according to the reference program and then recording a resultant rating point as a processing reference result, and an actual result calculating section for rating the result of processing performed to substantially the same workpiece as the predetermined workpiece by the processing unit according to the reference program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koichi Shigematsu
  • Patent number: 11135700
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a processing unit grinding or polishing the reverse side, which is exposed upwardly, of a wafer, an infrared camera unit capturing an image of the wafer from the reverse side thereof and acquiring an image including the face side of the wafer, an information register having information on a pattern of structural objects which a wafer to be processed is to have on the face side, registered therein, and a determining unit determining that the wafer to be determined is a wafer to be processed if the pattern of structural objects which a wafer to be processed is to have on the face side is found on the wafer to be determined before being processed by the processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koichi Shigematsu
  • Publication number: 20210193521
    Abstract: A device chip manufacturing method includes adhering a protective member to a side of one surface of a front surface and a back surface of a workpiece including a device wafer, positioning the one surface on a lower side and holding the workpiece under suction by a holding surface, measuring the height of a lower surface and the height of an upper surface of the workpiece, applying a laser beam to the workpiece while adjusting the height of a focal point of the laser beam, to thereby form two or more modified layers at different heights inside the workpiece, and dividing the workpiece into device chips. The applying the laser beam includes forming a first modified layer on the lower surface side according to the height of the lower surface, and forming a second modified layer on the upper surface side according to the height of the upper surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Koichi SHIGEMATSU, Kei TANAKA, Kenji FURUTA
  • Patent number: 10943801
    Abstract: A laser processing method includes a step of holding a film side of a workpiece which has been divided into chips and whose reverse side carries an adhesive film stuck thereto, a step of detecting widths of grooves in the workpiece at predetermined chip intervals and central coordinates of the widths of the grooves, a step of calculating laser beam irradiation lines based on the detected widths of the grooves and the detected central coordinates, a step of determining misalignment levels of the calculated laser beam irradiation lines according to misalignments of the grooves in widthwise directions thereof, and a step of processing the adhesive film with a laser beam by applying the laser beam to the adhesive film at bottoms of the grooves along the laser beam irradiation lines, thereby separating the adhesive film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koichi Shigematsu
  • Patent number: 10679897
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device wafer processing method including a protective film forming step of applying a water-soluble protective film material to the front side of a device wafer having devices separated by division lines and next exposing the division lines to form a protective film for protecting each device, an application time recording step of recording the time at which the water-soluble protective film material is applied to the device wafer, a determining step of determining whether or not a predetermined duration has elapsed from the time recorded in the application time recording step, an etching step of dry-etching the device wafer along the division lines after performing the determining step, and a protective film removing step of supplying a cleaning water to the protective film to thereby remove the protective film after performing the etching step. Only when it is determined in the determining step that the predetermined duration has not elapsed, the etching step is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Shigematsu, Satoshi Kumazawa
  • Patent number: 10648855
    Abstract: A method of detecting a spot shape of a pulsed laser beam, includes applying a pulsed laser beam having a wavelength absorbable by an inspection wafer held on a chuck table continuously to the inspection wafer with a focused point on an upper surface of the inspection wafer thereby to form a plurality of laser spots on the upper surface of the inspection wafer. An image of the laser spots is captured, and profiles of shapes of the laser spots are extracted from the captured image of the laser spots. A degree of similarity between the captured image and the profile of an ideal laser spot shape is calculated and stored in a memory. The shapes of the laser spots are found to be improper if the calculated degree of similarity is lower than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tasuku Kojo, Koichi Shigematsu, Chang Yuan-Yang
  • Publication number: 20190076986
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a processing unit grinding or polishing the reverse side, which is exposed upwardly, of a wafer, an infrared camera unit capturing an image of the wafer from the reverse side thereof and acquiring an image including the face side of the wafer, an information register having information on a pattern of structural objects which a wafer to be processed is to have on the face side, registered therein, and a determining unit determining that the wafer to be determined is a wafer to be processed if the pattern of structural objects which a wafer to be processed is to have on the face side is found on the wafer to be determined before being processed by the processing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventor: Koichi Shigematsu
  • Publication number: 20180330972
    Abstract: A laser processing method includes a step of holding a film side of a workpiece which has been divided into chips and whose reverse side carries an adhesive film stuck thereto, a step of detecting widths of grooves in the workpiece at predetermined chip intervals and central coordinates of the widths of the grooves, a step of calculating laser beam irradiation lines based on the detected widths of the grooves and the detected central coordinates, a step of determining misalignment levels of the calculated laser beam irradiation lines according to misalignments of the grooves in widthwise directions thereof, and a step of processing the adhesive film with a laser beam by applying the laser beam to the adhesive film at bottoms of the grooves along the laser beam irradiation lines, thereby separating the adhesive film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventor: Koichi Shigematsu
  • Patent number: 10121672
    Abstract: There is provided a cutting method for cutting a processing-target object by a cutting blade. The cutting method includes a holding step of holding the processing-target object by a holding table and a cutting step of cutting the processing-target object by the cutting blade by causing the cutting blade that rotates to cut into the processing-target object held by the holding table and causing the holding table and the cutting blade to relatively move after the holding step is carried out. In the cutting step, cutting is carried out with detection of whether or not a crack in the processing-target object exists by a crack detecting unit disposed on the rear side relative to the cutting blade in a cutting progression direction in which cutting processing of the processing-target object by the cutting blade progresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Disco Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Shigematsu
  • Publication number: 20180144983
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device wafer processing method including a protective film forming step of applying a water-soluble protective film material to the front side of a device wafer having devices separated by division lines and next exposing the division lines to form a protective film for protecting each device, an application time recording step of recording the time at which the water-soluble protective film material is applied to the device wafer, a determining step of determining whether or not a predetermined duration has elapsed from the time recorded in the application time recording step, an etching step of dry-etching the device wafer along the division lines after performing the determining step, and a protective film removing step of supplying a cleaning water to the protective film to thereby remove the protective film after performing the etching step. Only when it is determined in the determining step that the predetermined duration has not elapsed, the etching step is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Koichi Shigematsu, Satoshi Kumazawa
  • Publication number: 20180094972
    Abstract: A method of detecting a spot shape of a pulsed laser beam, includes applying a pulsed laser beam having a wavelength absorbable by an inspection wafer held on a chuck table continuously to the inspection wafer with a focused point on an upper surface of the inspection wafer thereby to form a plurality of laser spots on the upper surface of the inspection wafer. An image of the laser spots is captured, and profiles of shapes of the laser spots are extracted from the captured image of the laser spots. A degree of similarity between the captured image and the profile of an ideal laser spot shape is calculated and stored in a memory. The shapes of the laser spots are found to be improper if the calculated degree of similarity is lower than a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Tasuku Kojo, Koichi Shigematsu, Chang Yuan-Yang
  • Publication number: 20170372908
    Abstract: There is provided a cutting method for cutting a processing-target object by a cutting blade. The cutting method includes a holding step of holding the processing-target object by a holding table and a cutting step of cutting the processing-target object by the cutting blade by causing the cutting blade that rotates to cut into the processing-target object held by the holding table and causing the holding table and the cutting blade to relatively move after the holding step is carried out. In the cutting step, cutting is carried out with detection of whether or not a crack in the processing-target object exists by a crack detecting unit disposed on the rear side relative to the cutting blade in a cutting progression direction in which cutting processing of the processing-target object by the cutting blade progresses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventor: Koichi Shigematsu
  • Publication number: 20170343979
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a processing apparatus including a processing unit, alignment unit, and controller. The controller includes a reference program storing section previously storing a reference program for use in processing a predetermined workpiece, a reference result recording section for rating the result of processing performed to the predetermined workpiece by the processing unit according to the reference program and then recording a resultant rating point as a processing reference result, and an actual result calculating section for rating the result of processing performed to substantially the same workpiece as the predetermined workpiece by the processing unit according to the reference program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventor: Koichi Shigematsu
  • Patent number: 7994451
    Abstract: A laser beam processing machine comprising a chuck table for holding a workpiece, a laser beam application means for applying a pulse laser beam to the workpiece held on the chuck table, and a processing-feed means for processing-feeding the chuck table and the laser beam application means relative to each other, wherein the machine further comprises a feed amount detection means for detecting the processing-feed amount of the chuck table and a control means for controlling the laser beam application means based on a detection signal from the feed amount detection means, and the control means outputs an application signal to the laser beam application means for each predetermined processing-feed amount based on a signal from the feed amount detection means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Disco Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Shigematsu, Seiji Miura
  • Patent number: 7521337
    Abstract: A wafer laser processing method for forming a deteriorated layer along streets in the inside of a wafer having streets formed in a lattice pattern on the front surface, the method comprising: an undulation area deteriorated layer forming step for applying a laser beam along the streets to the undulating area of the wafer without activating the focal point position adjustment means to form a deteriorated layer along the streets in the inside of the undulating area of the wafer; and a stable holding area deteriorated layer forming step for applying a laser beam along the streets to a stable holding area other than the undulating area of the wafer while the focal point position adjustment means is controlled based on a detection signal from the height position detection means to form a deteriorated layer along the streets in the inside of the stable holding area of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Disco Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuma Sekiya, Koichi Shigematsu
  • Patent number: 7483115
    Abstract: A method of laser processing a liquid crystal device wafer which is formed by laminating together a silicon substrate and a glass substrate, and has liquid crystal devices in respective rectangular areas sectioned by streets arranged in a lattice pattern on the front surface, the method comprising: a first deteriorated layer forming step for forming a deteriorated layer along the streets in the inside of the silicon substrate by applying a laser beam of a wavelength capable of passing through the silicone substrate and forming a deteriorated layer in the inside of the silicon substrate from the glass substrate side with its focal point set to the inside of the silicon substrate; and a second deteriorated layer forming step for forming a deteriorated layer along the streets in the inside of the glass substrate by applying a laser beam of a wavelength capable of passing through the glass substrate and forming a deteriorated layer in the inside of the glass substrate with its focal point set to the inside of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Disco Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Shigematsu, Satoshi Kobayashi, Kiyoshi Ohsuga
  • Patent number: 7468309
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer treatment method for dividing an adhesive tape, which has been stuck to the entire back of a semiconductor wafer, along divided streets of the semiconductor wafer. Before division of the adhesive tape by application of laser beams, the state of the divided streets is detected, and laser beams are applied to the adhesive tape based on such detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Disco Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Shigematsu, Toshiyuki Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20080128396
    Abstract: A laser beam machining system includes a chuck table for holding a work, a laser beam irradiation unit for irradiating the work held on the chuck table with a laser beam, a machining feeding unit for effecting relative machining feed of the chuck table and the laser beam irradiation unit, and a control unit for controlling the laser beam irradiation unit and the machining feeding unit according to control programs, wherein a safety unit is provided which interrupts a gate signal, which is outputted from the control unit to the laser beam irradiation unit, upon generation of an abnormal condition in execution of the control programs in the control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: Disco Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Shigematsu, Kouichi Nehashi