Patents by Inventor Masami Akimoto

Masami Akimoto 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: 11637035
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotation driving device configured to rotate a rotary table holding a substrate; an electric heater provided at the rotary table and configured to heat the substrate; a power receiving electrode provided at the rotary table and electrically connected to the electric heater; a power feeding electrode configured to be contacted with the power receiving electrode to supply a power to the electric heater via the power receiving electrode; an electrode moving device configured to connect and disconnect the power feeding electrode and the power receiving electrode relatively; a power feeder configured to supply the power to the power feeding electrode; a processing cup disposed to surround the rotary table; at least one processing liquid nozzle configured to supply a processing liquid onto the substrate; a processing liquid supply device configured to supply the processing liquid to the processing liquid nozzle; and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Morita, Masami Akimoto, Katsuhiro Morikawa, Kouichi Mizunaga
  • Publication number: 20230096305
    Abstract: A plating apparatus 1 includes a substrate holder 10, a first electrode, a second electrode and a voltage applying unit 30. The substrate holder 10 is configured to hold a substrate. The first electrode is electrically connected to the substrate. The second electrode is configured to scan with respect to a front surface of the substrate. The voltage applying unit 30 is configured to apply a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode. A first discharge opening 23 configured to discharge a plating liquid L1 and a second discharge opening 24 configured to discharge a cleaning liquid L2 are formed in a bottom surface 22a of the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Masato Hamada, Masami Akimoto, Masatoshi Shiraishi, Kazuyuki Goto, Satoshi Kaneko, Kazuki Motomatsu
  • Publication number: 20230042744
    Abstract: A plating method includes holding a substrate, supplying a plating liquid L1, supplying a conductive liquid L2 and applying a voltage. In the holding of the substrate, the substrate is held. In the supplying of the plating liquid L1, the plating liquid L1 is supplied onto the held substrate. In the supplying of the conductive liquid L2, the conductive liquid L2, which is different from the plating liquid L1 supplied on the substrate, is supplied onto the plating liquid L1. In the applying of the voltage, the voltage is applied between the substrate and the conductive liquid L2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Masato Hamada, Masami Akimoto, Masatoshi Shiraishi, Satoshi Kaneko, Kazuki Motomatsu, Kazuyuki Goto
  • Publication number: 20230021035
    Abstract: A linearly moving mechanism includes an internal moving body provided within a case body and configured to be moved in a linear direction, the internal moving body being configured to move an external moving body connected to a connection member protruded from the case body through an opening formed at the case body; a seal belt extending in the linear direction and provided within the case body to close the opening, a first surface side of both end portions of the seal belt in a widthwise direction thereof facing an edge portion of the opening while being spaced apart therefrom; and a deformation suppressing member provided to face a second surface side of the both end portions to suppress deformation of the seal belt, the seal belt being connected to the internal moving body to be moved along with a movement of the internal moving body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Masami Akimoto, Naruaki Iida, Tsunenaga Nakashima, Keisuke Sasaki, Takahiro Yasutake, Kazuya Matsushita, Kousei Ide, Masato Ozeki
  • Patent number: 11551945
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotation driving device configured to rotate a rotary table holding a substrate; a processing liquid nozzle configured to supply a processing liquid onto a top surface of the substrate; an electric heater provided at a top plate and configured to heat the substrate through the top plate; an electronic component configured to perform a power feed to the electric heater and transmission/reception of a control signal for the electric heater; and a periphery cover body connected to a peripheral portion of the top plate to be rotated along with the top plate. An accommodation space in which the electronic component is accommodated is formed under the top plate. The accommodation space is surrounded by a surrounding structure including the top plate and the periphery cover body. A gap between the peripheral portion of the top plate and the periphery cover body is sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Morikawa, Masami Akimoto, Satoshi Morita, Kouichi Mizunaga
  • Patent number: 11532492
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a liquid processing module, including a carry-out/in port of a substrate, in which a first liquid processing device and a second liquid processing device provided at a position farther from the carry-out/in port than the first liquid processing device is are provided; and a transfer device configured to carry the substrate out from and into the liquid processing module. The first liquid processing device performs a first liquid processing on the substrate. The second liquid processing device performs a second liquid processing on the substrate before or after the first liquid processing. The transfer device includes a substrate holder configured to be moved back and forth in a first horizontal direction, and carries the non-processed substrate into the first liquid processing device through the carry-out/in port and carries the processed substrate out from the first liquid processing device through the carry-out/in port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Morikawa, Masami Akimoto
  • Publication number: 20220399210
    Abstract: A particle removed from a substrate is suppressed from adhering to the substrate again. A substrate cleaning apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate; a gas nozzle configured to jet a cleaning gas to the substrate on the substrate holder; and a nozzle cover provided to surround the gas nozzle. The cleaning gas is jetted to a decompression chamber of the nozzle cover from the gas nozzle, and a gas cluster configured to remove the particle on the substrate in the decompression chamber is generated. A gas for a gas curtain is jetted from an end portion of the nozzle cover toward the substrate, and the gas curtain is formed between the substrate and the end portion of the nozzle cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventors: Tsunenaga Nakashima, Masami Akimoto
  • Publication number: 20220389574
    Abstract: A particle removed from a substrate is suppressed from adhering to the substrate again. A substrate cleaning apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate; a gas nozzle configured to jet a cleaning gas to the substrate on the substrate holder; and a nozzle cover provided to surround the gas nozzle. The cleaning gas is jetted to a decompression chamber of the nozzle cover from the gas nozzle, and a gas cluster configured to remove the particle on the substrate in the decompression chamber is generated. A gas for a gas curtain is jetted from a holder support of the substrate holder toward the nozzle cover, and the gas curtain is formed between the nozzle cover and the holder support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Tsunenaga Nakashima, Masami Akimoto
  • Patent number: 11510284
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotary table configured to hold and rotate a substrate; an electronic component provided at the rotary table and configured to be rotated along with the rotary table; a first electrode unit provided at the rotary table and configured to be rotated along with the rotary table, the first electrode unit comprising multiple first electrodes electrically connected to the electronic component via multiple first conductive lines; an electric device configured to perform a power supply to the electronic component and a transmission/reception of signals; a second electrode unit comprising multiple second electrodes electrically connected to the electric device via multiple second conductive lines and arranged at positions respectively corresponding to the multiple first electrodes to be brought into contact with the multiple first electrodes; and an electrode moving device configured to connect/disconnect the first electrode unit to/from the second electrode unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Morita, Masami Akimoto, Katsuhiro Morikawa, Kouichi Mizunaga, Kouzou Kawahara
  • Publication number: 20220154342
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a liquid processing module, provided with a carry-out/in opening of a substrate, including therein a first liquid processing device and a second liquid processing device; a module-outside transfer device configured to carry the substrate out from and into the liquid processing module; and a module-inside transfer device configured to transfer the substrate between the first liquid processing device and the second liquid processing device. The first liquid processing device is equipped with a first holder configured to hold the substrate. The second liquid processing device is equipped with a second holder configured to hold the substrate. The second liquid processing device is configured to perform a plating processing on the substrate held by the second holder. The first liquid processing device is configured to perform at least a post-cleaning processing performed after the plating processing on the substrate held by the first holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Morikawa, Masami Akimoto, Mitsuaki Iwashita, Satoshi Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20220130691
    Abstract: A substrate processing method of performing liquid processing on a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus, which includes a substrate table configured to suction the substrate, a heater configured to heat the substrate table, and a processing liquid nozzle configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate suctioned to the substrate table, includes: a suctioning process of suctioning the substrate by the substrate table when there is no temperature difference between the substrate and the substrate table or when a temperature difference between the substrate and the substrate is within a predetermined range; and after the suctioning process, a processing liquid supply process of supplying the processing liquid from the processing liquid nozzle to the substrate suctioned to the substrate table heated by the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Kouzou TACHIBANA, Katsuhiro MORIKAWA, Kouichi MIZUNAGA, Masami AKIMOTO, Kousuke NEGISHI
  • Publication number: 20220056590
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotation driving mechanism configured to rotate a rotary table configured to hold a substrate; an electric heater provided in the rotary table to be rotated along with the rotary table and configured to heat the substrate; a power receiving electrode provided in the rotary table to be rotated along with the rotary table and electrically connected to the electric heater; a power feeding electrode configured to be contacted with the power receiving electrode and configured to supply a power to the electric heater via the power receiving electrode; an electrode moving mechanism; a power feeder configured to supply the power to the power feeding electrode; a processing cup surrounding the rotary table; at least one processing liquid nozzle configured to supply a processing liquid; a processing liquid supply mechanism configured to supply at least an electroless plating liquid; and a controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Satoshi Morita, Masami Akimoto, Katsuhiro Morikawa, Kouichi Mizunaga, Mitsuaki Iwashita, Satoshi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 11208725
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotary table comprising a base plate having a front surface where at least one suction hole is provided and an attraction plate having a front surface contacted with a non-processing surface of a substrate to attract the substrate, a rear surface contacted with the front surface of the base plate, and at least one through hole through which the front surface and the rear surface are connected; a rotation driving device configured to rotate the rotary table around a rotation axis; and a suction device configured to act a suction force on the suction hole, to contact the base plate with the attraction plate by acting the suction force between the base plate and the attraction plate, and to firmly contact the attraction plate with the substrate by acting the suction force between the attraction plate and the substrate through the through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kouichi Mizunaga, Masami Akimoto, Satoshi Morita, Katsuhiro Morikawa
  • Publication number: 20200312678
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a liquid processing module, including a carry-out/in port of a substrate, in which a first liquid processing device and a second liquid processing device provided at a position farther from the carry-out/in port than the first liquid processing device is are provided; and a transfer device configured to carry the substrate out from and into the liquid processing module. The first liquid processing device performs a first liquid processing on the substrate. The second liquid processing device performs a second liquid processing on the substrate before or after the first liquid processing. The transfer device includes a substrate holder configured to be moved back and forth in a first horizontal direction, and carries the non-processed substrate into the first liquid processing device through the carry-out/in port and carries the processed substrate out from the first liquid processing device through the carry-out/in port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Morikawa, Masami Akimoto
  • Publication number: 20200105574
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotation driving device configured to rotate a rotary table holding a substrate; an electric heater provided at the rotary table and configured to heat the substrate; a power receiving electrode provided at the rotary table and electrically connected to the electric heater; a power feeding electrode configured to be contacted with the power receiving electrode to supply a power to the electric heater via the power receiving electrode; an electrode moving device configured to connect and disconnect the power feeding electrode and the power receiving electrode relatively; a power feeder configured to supply the power to the power feeding electrode; a processing cup disposed to surround the rotary table; at least one processing liquid nozzle configured to supply a processing liquid onto the substrate; a processing liquid supply device configured to supply the processing liquid to the processing liquid nozzle; and a controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Satoshi Morita, Masami Akimoto, Katsuhiro Morikawa, Kouichi Mizunaga
  • Publication number: 20200105550
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotation driving device configured to rotate a rotary table holding a substrate; a processing liquid nozzle configured to supply a processing liquid onto a top surface of the substrate; an electric heater provided at a top plate and configured to heat the substrate through the top plate; an electronic component configured to perform a power feed to the electric heater and transmission/reception of a control signal for the electric heater; and a periphery cover body connected to a peripheral portion of the top plate to be rotated along with the top plate. An accommodation space in which the electronic component is accommodated is formed under the top plate. The accommodation space is surrounded by a surrounding structure including the top plate and the periphery cover body. A gap between the peripheral portion of the top plate and the periphery cover body is sealed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Morikawa, Masami Akimoto, Satoshi Morita, Kouichi Mizunaga
  • Publication number: 20200102654
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotary table comprising a base plate having a front surface where at least one suction hole is provided and an attraction plate having a front surface contacted with a non-processing surface of a substrate to attract the substrate, a rear surface contacted with the front surface of the base plate, and at least one through hole through which the front surface and the rear surface are connected; a rotation driving device configured to rotate the rotary table around a rotation axis; and a suction device configured to act a suction force on the suction hole, to contact the base plate with the attraction plate by acting the suction force between the base plate and the attraction plate, and to firmly contact the attraction plate with the substrate by acting the suction force between the attraction plate and the substrate through the through hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Kouichi Mizunaga, Masami Akimoto, Satoshi Morita, Katsuhiro Morikawa
  • Publication number: 20200107404
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotary table configured to hold and rotate a substrate; an electronic component provided at the rotary table and configured to be rotated along with the rotary table; a first electrode unit provided at the rotary table and configured to be rotated along with the rotary table, the first electrode unit comprising multiple first electrodes electrically connected to the electronic component via multiple first conductive lines; an electric device configured to perform a power supply to the electronic component and a transmission/reception of signals; a second electrode unit comprising multiple second electrodes electrically connected to the electric device via multiple second conductive lines and arranged at positions respectively corresponding to the multiple first electrodes to be brought into contact with the multiple first electrodes; and an electrode moving device configured to connect/disconnect the first electrode unit to/from the second electrode unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Satoshi Morita, Masami Akimoto, Katsuhiro Morikawa, Kouichi Mizunaga, Kouzou Kawahara
  • Patent number: 9953852
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus of the present disclosure performs a liquid processing by supplying a processing liquid to a substrate that is rotating. A substrate holding unit configured to be rotatable around a vertical axis is provided with a holding surface to attract and hold a bottom surface of the substrate horizontally. A guide unit is formed integrally with the substrate holding unit, disposed around the substrate held in the substrate holding unit, and provided at a position equal to or lower than a height of a top surface of a periphery of the substrate. The guide unit includes a guide surface configured to guide the processing liquid. A rotary cup rotates integrally with the substrate holding unit, and guides the processing liquid towards the cup between the rotary cup and the guide unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Jiro Higashijima, Yuichi Douki, Masami Akimoto, Shigehisa Inoue
  • Patent number: 9508569
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate liquid processing apparatus including a substrate holding unit configured to hold a substrate; a processing liquid nozzle configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; a nozzle arm configured to hold the processing liquid nozzle; and an arm cleaning tank configured to immerse the entire surface of the nozzle arm in a cleaning liquid so as to clean the nozzle arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shigehisa Inoue, Jiro Higashijima, Masami Akimoto