Patents by Inventor Manabu OKUTANI
Manabu OKUTANI 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: 20240261814Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a liquid film forming step of forming a liquid film, a liquid film heat retaining step of keeping the liquid film warm, a gas phase layer forming step of forming a gas phase layer which holds the processing liquid on a center portion of the liquid film, an opening forming step of forming an opening in the center portion of the liquid film by excluding the processing liquid held by the gas phase layer, a substrate rotating step of rotating the substrate around a rotation axis, and an opening expanding step of expanding the opening, while a state in which the gas phase layer is formed on an inner circumferential edge of the liquid film is maintained, by moving the irradiation region toward a circumferential edge portion of the substrate while the liquid film heat retaining step and the substrate rotating step are performed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2024Publication date: August 8, 2024Applicant: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi ABE, Takashi OTA, Takaaki ISHIZU, Kenji KOBAYASHI, Ryo MURAMOTO, Sei NEGORO, Manabu OKUTANI, Wataru SAKAI
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Patent number: 12046465Abstract: The inventive substrate treatment method includes: an organic solvent supplying step of supplying an organic solvent having a smaller surface tension than a rinse liquid to the upper surface of a substrate so that rinse liquid adhering to the upper surface of the substrate is replaced with the organic solvent; a higher temperature maintaining step of maintaining the upper surface of the substrate at a predetermined temperature higher than the boiling point of the organic solvent to thereby form a gas film of the organic solvent on the entire upper surface of the substrate including the gap of the minute pattern and to form a liquid film of the organic solvent on the gas film, the higher temperature maintaining step being performed after the organic solvent supplying step is started; and an organic solvent removing step of removing the organic solvent liquid film from the upper surface of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2022Date of Patent: July 23, 2024Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.Inventor: Manabu Okutani
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Patent number: 12042813Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a liquid film forming step of forming a liquid film, a liquid film heat retaining step of keeping the liquid film warm, a gas phase layer forming step of forming a gas phase layer which holds the processing liquid on a center portion of the liquid film, an opening forming step of forming an opening in the center portion of the liquid film by excluding the processing liquid held by the gas phase layer, a substrate rotating step of rotating the substrate around a rotation axis, and an opening expanding step of expanding the opening, while a state in which the gas phase layer is formed on an inner circumferential edge of the liquid film is maintained, by moving the irradiation region toward a circumferential edge portion of the substrate while the liquid film heat retaining step and the substrate rotating step are performed.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2020Date of Patent: July 23, 2024Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Takashi Ota, Takaaki Ishizu, Kenji Kobayashi, Ryo Muramoto, Sei Negoro, Manabu Okutani, Wataru Sakai
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Patent number: 11901173Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a processing liquid supplying step of supplying a processing liquid to a patterned surface of a substrate having the patterned surface with projections and recesses, a processing film forming step of solidifying or curing the processing liquid supplied to the patterned surface to form, so as to follow the projections and the recesses of the patterned surface, a processing film which holds a removal object present on the patterned surface and a removing step of supplying a peeling liquid to the patterned surface to peel the processing film from the patterned surface together with the removal object, thereby removing the processing film from the substrate, while such a state is kept that the removal object is held by the processing film.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2021Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Inventors: Yukifumi Yoshida, Manabu Okutani, Shuichi Yasuda, Yasunori Kanematsu, Dai Ueda, Song Zhang, Tatsuro Nagahara, Takafumi Kinuta
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Patent number: 11676834Abstract: In substrate processing, by supplying a first processing liquid onto an upper surface 91 of a substrate 9 held in a horizontal state, a liquid film 81 of the first processing liquid which entirely covers the upper surface 91 is formed. Further, by heating the substrate 9, a vapor layer 82 of the first processing liquid is formed between the upper surface 91 and the liquid film 81 of the first processing liquid on the upper surface 91. Then, by supplying a second processing liquid onto the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9, the liquid film 81 of the first processing liquid is removed from the upper surface 91. It is thereby possible to appropriately remove extraneous matters 89 from the upper surface 91 of the substrate 9, which are taken in the liquid film 81 of the first processing liquid as the vapor layer 82 is formed.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2019Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Inventors: Manabu Okutani, Tsutomu Osuka, Katsuei Higashi, Hiroshi Abe, Naohiko Yoshihara
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Patent number: 11524314Abstract: In a second liquid supply step, a second liquid film and a first liquid film surrounding a side of the second liquid film are formed on an upper surface of a substrate. Then, in a vapor layer formation step, by heating the substrate, a second vapor layer is formed by evaporating the second liquid contacting the upper surface of the substrate, and the second liquid film is held on the second vapor layer. Since the second liquid included in the second liquid film has a high vapor pressure, a height position of a lower surface of the floating second liquid film may be kept high. By blowing a gas to the floating second liquid film, a hole is formed in the second liquid film, and by expanding the hole toward an outer periphery of the substrate, the first liquid and the second liquid are removed outside the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2020Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventors: Manabu Okutani, Hiroshi Abe, Takaaki Ishizu
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Publication number: 20220331845Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a first processing liquid supplying step of supplying a first processing liquid to an upper surface of a substrate, a holding-layer forming step of solidifying or curing the first processing liquid to form a particle holding layer on the upper surface of the substrate, a holding-layer removing step of peeling and removing the particle holding layer from the upper surface of the substrate, a liquid film forming step of forming, after removal of the particle holding layer from the substrate, a liquid film of a second processing liquid, a gas phase layer forming step of forming a gas phase layer for holding the liquid film between the upper surface of the substrate and the liquid film, and a liquid film removing step of removing the second processing liquid from the upper surface of the substrate by moving the liquid film on the gas phase layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2022Publication date: October 20, 2022Inventors: Yukifumi YOSHIDA, Manabu OKUTANI, Hiroshi ABE, Shuichi YASUDA, Yasunori KANEMATSU, Hitoshi NAKAI
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Patent number: 11469117Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus processes a substrate having an upper side and a rear side. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder, a filler feeder, and a first cleaning liquid feeder. The substrate holder rotates the substrate while holding a central portion of the rear side of the substrate. The filler feeder feeds filler to the upper side of the substrate held by the substrate holder. The first cleaning liquid feeder feeds a cleaning liquid to the rear side of the substrate held by the substrate holder. The first cleaning liquid feeder feeds the cleaning liquid to an area, held by the substrate holder, of the rear side of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2019Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Inventors: Yasunori Kanematsu, Hitoshi Nakai, Manabu Okutani
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Patent number: 11465167Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus includes: a substrate holding unit; a rotator for rotating the substrate holding unit; a first liquid nozzle for supplying a rinsing liquid; a second liquid nozzle for supplying a low surface tension liquid; a heater; a lifting mechanism for relatively moving up and down the heater between a contact position allowing the heater to be brought into contact with the lower surface of the substrate and a separation position allowing the heater to be separated from the substrate; a gas nozzle provided in an upper surface of the heater to suck the substrate; a suction pump for sucking an atmosphere above the heater through the gas nozzle; a gas supply source for supplying an inert gas toward above the heater through the gas nozzle; and a controller for selectively performing suction of the atmosphere or supply of the inert gas, through the gas nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Manabu Okutani, Takashi Ota, Naohiko Yoshihara
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Patent number: 11404292Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a first processing liquid supplying step of supplying a first processing liquid to an upper surface of a substrate, a holding-layer forming step of solidifying or curing the first processing liquid to form a particle holding layer on the upper surface of the substrate, a holding-layer removing step of peeling and removing the particle holding layer from the upper surface of the substrate, a liquid film forming step of forming, after removal of the particle holding layer from the substrate, a liquid film of a second processing liquid, a gas phase layer forming step of forming a gas phase layer for holding the liquid film between the upper surface of the substrate and the liquid film, and a liquid film removing step of removing the second processing liquid from the upper surface of the substrate by moving the liquid film on the gas phase layer.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2018Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Inventors: Yukifumi Yoshida, Manabu Okutani, Hiroshi Abe, Shuichi Yasuda, Yasunori Kanematsu, Hitoshi Nakai
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Publication number: 20220189762Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a processing liquid film forming step of supplying a processing liquid, containing a sublimable substance, to a pattern forming surface of a substrate, to form a processing liquid film on the pattern forming surface, a temperature maintaining step of maintaining a temperature of the processing liquid film, formed on the pattern forming surface, in a temperature range not lower than a melting point of the sublimable substance and lower than a boiling point of the sublimable substance, a film thinning step of thinning the processing liquid film while the temperature of the processing liquid film is in the temperature range, a freezing step of making the processing liquid film, thinned by the film thinning step, freeze on the pattern forming surface after the temperature maintaining step to form a frozen body of the sublimable substance, and a sublimating step of sublimating the frozen body to remove the frozen body from the pattern forming surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2022Publication date: June 16, 2022Inventors: Manabu OKUTANI, Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Masayuki OTSUJI, Hiroshi ABE, Chikara MAEDA, Hitoshi NAKAI, Yuta SASAKI
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Publication number: 20220172942Abstract: The inventive substrate treatment method includes: an organic solvent supplying step of supplying an organic solvent having a smaller surface tension than a rinse liquid to the upper surface of a substrate so that rinse liquid adhering to the upper surface of the substrate is replaced with the organic solvent; a higher temperature maintaining step of maintaining the upper surface of the substrate at a predetermined temperature higher than the boiling point of the organic solvent to thereby form a gas film of the organic solvent on the entire upper surface of the substrate including the gap of the minute pattern and to form a liquid film of the organic solvent on the gas film, the higher temperature maintaining step being performed after the organic solvent supplying step is started; and an organic solvent removing step of removing the organic solvent liquid film from the upper surface of the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2022Publication date: June 2, 2022Inventor: Manabu Okutani
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Patent number: 11335587Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit which holds and rotates a substrate in a horizontal orientation, a substrate heating unit which has a heating surface which faces the substrate, held by the substrate holding unit, from below and overlaps with an outermost periphery of the substrate in top view, and heats the substrate in a state of contacting a lower surface of the substrate, a transferring unit which transfers the substrate between the substrate holding unit and the substrate heating unit, and a processing fluid supplying unit which supplies a processing fluid toward the substrate held by the substrate holding unit.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2020Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Inventors: Takashi Ota, Manabu Okutani, Hiroshi Abe
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Patent number: 11302525Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a processing liquid film forming step of supplying a processing liquid, containing a sublimable substance, to a pattern forming surface of a substrate, to form a processing liquid film on the pattern forming surface, a temperature maintaining step of maintaining a temperature of the processing liquid film, formed on the pattern forming surface, in a temperature range not lower than a melting point of the sublimable substance and lower than a boiling point of the sublimable substance, a film thinning step of thinning the processing liquid film while the temperature of the processing liquid film is in the temperature range, a freezing step of making the processing liquid film, thinned by the film thinning step, freeze on the pattern forming surface after the temperature maintaining step to form a frozen body of the sublimable substance, and a sublimating step of sublimating the frozen body to remove the frozen body from the pattern forming surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2018Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Inventors: Manabu Okutani, Hiroaki Takahashi, Masayuki Otsuji, Hiroshi Abe, Chikara Maeda, Hitoshi Nakai, Yuta Sasaki
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Patent number: 11289324Abstract: The inventive substrate treatment method includes: an organic solvent supplying step of supplying an organic solvent having a smaller surface tension than a rinse liquid to the upper surface of a substrate so that rinse liquid adhering to the upper surface of the substrate is replaced with the organic solvent; a higher temperature maintaining step of maintaining the upper surface of the substrate at a predetermined temperature higher than the boiling point of the organic solvent to thereby form a gas film of the organic solvent on the entire upper surface of the substrate including the gap of the minute pattern and to form a liquid film of the organic solvent on the gas film, the higher temperature maintaining step being performed after the organic solvent supplying step is started; and an organic solvent removing step of removing the organic solvent liquid film from the upper surface of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2017Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.Inventor: Manabu Okutani
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Publication number: 20220076941Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a processing liquid supplying step of supplying a processing liquid to a patterned surface of a substrate having the patterned surface with projections and recesses, a processing film forming step of solidifying or curing the processing liquid supplied to the patterned surface to form, so as to follow the projections and the recesses of the patterned surface, a processing film which holds a removal object present on the patterned surface and a removing step of supplying a peeling liquid to the patterned surface to peel the processing film from the patterned surface together with the removal object, thereby removing the processing film from the substrate, while such a state is kept that the removal object is held by the processing film.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2021Publication date: March 10, 2022Inventors: Yukifumi YOSHIDA, Manabu OKUTANI, Shuichi YASUDA, Yasunori KANEMATSU, Dai UEDA, Song ZHANG, Tatsuro NAGAHARA, Takafumi KINUTA
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Patent number: 11260431Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a processing liquid supplying step of supplying a processing liquid having a solute and a solvent to a front surface of a substrate, a processing film forming step of forming on the front surface of the substrate a processing film which holds a removal object present on the front surface of the substrate by solidifying or curing the processing liquid supplied to the front surface of the substrate, and a peeling step of peeling the processing film from the front surface of the substrate together with the removal object by supplying a peeling liquid to the front surface of the substrate, and the peeling step includes a penetrating hole forming step of forming a penetrating hole on the processing film by dissolving partially the processing film in the peeling liquid.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2020Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Inventors: Yukifumi Yoshida, Manabu Okutani, Shuichi Yasuda, Yasunori Kanematsu, Dai Ueda, Song Zhang, Tatsuro Nagahara, Takafumi Kinuta
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Patent number: 11217441Abstract: A substrate treatment method is provided, which includes: an organic solvent replacing step of supplying an organic solvent, whereby a liquid film of the organic solvent is formed on the substrate as covering the upper surface of the substrate to replace a rinse liquid with the organic solvent; a substrate temperature increasing step of allowing the temperature of the upper surface of the substrate to reach a first temperature level higher than the boiling point of the organic solvent after the formation of the organic solvent liquid film, whereby a vapor film of the organic solvent is formed below the entire organic solvent liquid film between the organic solvent liquid film and the substrate to levitate the organic solvent liquid film above the organic solvent vapor film; and an organic solvent removing step of removing the levitated organic solvent liquid film from above the upper surface of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2019Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Inventors: Kenji Kobayashi, Manabu Okutani
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Patent number: 11211241Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a processing liquid supplying step of supplying a processing liquid to a patterned surface of a substrate having the patterned surface with projections and recesses, a processing film forming step of solidifying or curing the processing liquid supplied to the patterned surface to form, so as to follow the projections and the recesses of the patterned surface, a processing film which holds a removal object present on the patterned surface and a removing step of supplying a peeling liquid to the patterned surface to peel the processing film from the patterned surface together with the removal object, thereby removing the processing film from the substrate, while such a state is kept that the removal object is held by the processing film.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2019Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Inventors: Yukifumi Yoshida, Manabu Okutani, Shuichi Yasuda, Yasunori Kanematsu, Dai Ueda, Song Zhang, Tatsuro Nagahara, Takafumi Kinuta
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Patent number: 11177124Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a liquid film forming step of forming a liquid film of the processing liquid on the upper surface of the substrate; a liquid filling heating step of supplying a heating medium to a space between a heater unit and the substrate to thereby fill the space with the heating medium, and heating the heating medium by the heater unit, an opening defining step of defining an opening in the central region of the liquid film in a state where the substrate is heated in the liquid filling heating step such that the temperature of the substrate is the boiling point of the processing liquid or higher, and an opening enlarging step of enlarging the opening while rotating the base to thereby rotate the substrate. The liquid filling heating step is executed in parallel with the opening enlarging step at least during part of a period of the opening enlarging step.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2019Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Inventors: Manabu Okutani, Hiroshi Abe