Patents by Inventor Masaya Seki
Masaya Seki 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: 20150104620Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery of a substrate. This polishing apparatus includes a rotary holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate horizontally and rotate the substrate, plural polishing head assemblies provided around the substrate, plural tape supplying and recovering mechanisms configured to supply polishing tapes to the plural polishing head assemblies and recover the polishing tapes from the plural polishing head assemblies, and plural moving mechanisms configured to move the plural polishing head assemblies in radial directions of the substrate held by the rotary holding mechanism. The tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are located outwardly of the plural polishing head assemblies in the radial directions of the substrate, and the tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are fixed in position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2014Publication date: April 16, 2015Inventors: Tamami TAKAHASHI, Masaya SEKI, Hiroaki KUSA, Kenji YAMAGUCHI, Masayuki NAKANISHI
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Patent number: 8986069Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery of a substrate. This polishing apparatus includes a rotary holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate horizontally and rotate the substrate, plural polishing head assemblies provided around the substrate, plural tape supplying and recovering mechanisms configured to supply polishing tapes to the plural polishing head assemblies and recover the polishing tapes from the plural polishing head assemblies, and plural moving mechanisms configured to move the plural polishing head assemblies in radial directions of the substrate held by the rotary holding mechanism. The tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are located outwardly of the plural polishing head assemblies in the radial directions of the substrate, and the tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are fixed in position.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2012Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Tamami Takahashi, Masaya Seki, Hiroaki Kusa, Kenji Yamaguchi, Masayuki Nakanishi
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Patent number: 8979615Abstract: The polishing apparatus has a polishing unit capable of polishing a peripheral portion of the substrate to form a right-angled cross section. The polishing apparatus includes: a substrate holder that holds and rotates the substrate; guide rollers that support a polishing tape; and a polishing head having a pressing member that presses an edge of the polishing tape against the peripheral portion of the substrate from above. The guide rollers are arranged such that the polishing tape extends parallel to a tangential direction of the substrate and a polishing surface of the polishing tape is parallel to a surface of the substrate. The substrate holder includes: a holding stage that holds the substrate; and a supporting stage that supports a lower surface of the peripheral portion of the substrate in its entirety. The supporting stage rotates in unison with the holding stage.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2011Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Masaya Seki, Tetsuji Togawa, Masayuki Nakanishi, Naoki Matsuda, Atsushi Yoshida
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Patent number: 8926402Abstract: A method of polishing a peripheral portion of a substrate is provided. This method includes: causing sliding contact between the peripheral portion of the substrate and a polishing tape; and supplying a polishing liquid onto the polishing tape contacting the peripheral portion of the substrate. The polishing tape includes a base tape and a fixed abrasive formed on the base tape, and the polishing liquid is an alkaline polishing liquid containing an alkaline chemical and an additive including molecules that cause steric hindrance.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2011Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Masayuki Nakanishi, Masaya Seki, Kenji Kodera
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Publication number: 20140213154Abstract: A polishing apparatus is used for polishing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate holder to hold a substrate and to rotate the substrate, a pressing member configured to press a polishing tool against the substrate and to polish the substrate, a pressing force control mechanism configured to control a pressing force of the pressing member, and a polishing position limiting mechanism configured to limit a polishing position of the pressing member. A polishing tape or a fixed abrasive is used as the polishing tool.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2014Publication date: July 31, 2014Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Masaya SEKI, Tetsuji TOGAWA
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Patent number: 8748289Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device makes it possible to efficiently polish with a polishing tape a peripheral portion of a silicon substrate under polishing conditions particularly suited for a deposited film and for silicon underlying the deposited film. The method includes pressing a first polishing tape against a peripheral portion of a device substrate having a deposited film on a silicon surface while rotating the device substrate at a first rotational speed, thereby removing the deposited film lying in the peripheral portion of the device substrate and exposing the underlying silicon. A second polishing tape is pressed against the exposed silicon lying in the peripheral portion of the device substrate while rotating the device substrate at a second rotational speed, thereby polishing the silicon to a predetermined depth.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2013Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Masayuki Nakanishi, Tetsuji Togawa, Kenya Ito, Masaya Seki, Kenji Iwade, Takeo Kubota
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Publication number: 20140087627Abstract: A method of detecting an abnormality in polishing of a substrate is provided. The method includes: rotating the substrate; pressing a polishing tool against an edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion; measuring a position of the polishing tool relative to a surface of the substrate; determining an amount of polishing of the substrate from the position of the polishing tool; calculating a polishing rate from the amount of polishing of the substrate; and judging that an abnormality in polishing of the edge portion of the substrate has occurred if the polishing rate is out of a predetermined range.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2013Publication date: March 27, 2014Inventors: Tetsuji TOGAWA, Masaya SEKI, Hiroyuki TAKENAKA
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Patent number: 8641480Abstract: A polishing apparatus can effectively prevent abrasive particles from falling off a polishing tape during polishing. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing head for polishing a peripheral portion of a substrate by pressing a surface of a polishing tape, having abrasive particles fixed on the surface, against the peripheral portion of the substrate while allowing the polishing tape to travel in one direction; and a conditioning apparatus, disposed upstream of the polishing head in the traveling direction of the polishing tape, for conditioning the surface of the polishing tape in advance in order to prevent the abrasive particles from falling off the surface of the polishing tape during polishing.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2011Date of Patent: February 4, 2014Assignees: Ebara Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Masayuki Nakanishi, Tetsuji Togawa, Kenya Ito, Masaya Seki, Kenji Iwade, Takeo Kubota, Takeshi Nishioka
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Patent number: 8535117Abstract: A method capable of quickly polishing an angular portion formed by a grinded back surface and a circumferential surface of a substrate without causing damages on the thin substrate is provided. The method includes rotating the substrate about its center, and pressing a polishing tape against the angular portion formed by the back surface and the circumferential surface of the substrate to polish the angular portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2010Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Masayuki Nakanishi, Masunobu Onozawa, Masaya Seki
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Publication number: 20130237033Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device makes it possible to efficiently polish with a polishing tape a peripheral portion of a silicon substrate under polishing conditions particularly suited for a deposited film and for silicon underlying the deposited film. The method includes pressing a first polishing tape against a peripheral portion of a device substrate having a deposited film on a silicon surface while rotating the device substrate at a first rotational speed, thereby removing the deposited film lying in the peripheral portion of the device substrate and exposing the underlying silicon. A second polishing tape is pressed against the exposed silicon lying in the peripheral portion of the device substrate while rotating the device substrate at a second rotational speed, thereby polishing the silicon to a predetermined depth.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2013Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Masayuki NAKANISHI, Tetsuji TOGAWA, Kenya ITO, Masaya SEKI, Kenji IWADE, Takeo KUBOTA
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Patent number: 8506362Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold and rotate a substrate, a press pad configured to press a polishing tape having a polishing surface against a bevel portion of the substrate held by the substrate holder, and a feeding mechanism configured to cause the polishing tape to travel in its longitudinal direction. The press pad includes a hard member having a pressing surface for pressing the bevel portion of the substrate through the polishing tape, and at least one elastic member for pressing the hard member against the bevel portion of the substrate through the belt-shaped polishing tool.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2008Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Ebara CorporationInventors: Dai Fukushima, Atsushi Shigeta, Tamami Takahashi, Kenya Ito, Masaya Seki, Hiroaki Kusa
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Patent number: 8506363Abstract: A substrate holder is a mechanism for holding a substrate, to be polished, by vacuum suction. The substrate holder includes a substrate-holding stage having a suction surface for the substrate, and a fluid passage selectively coupled to a vacuum source and a fluid supply source. The suction surface has a plurality of closed sections surrounded by convexities, and the fluid passage includes a plurality of communication passages which are in fluid communication with the plurality of closed segments respectively and independently.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2009Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Tamami Takahashi, Hiroaki Kusa, Masaya Seki
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Patent number: 8445360Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device makes it possible to efficiently polish with a polishing tape a peripheral portion of a silicon substrate under polishing conditions particularly suited for a deposited film and for silicon underlying the deposited film. The method includes pressing a first polishing tape against a peripheral portion of a device substrate having a deposited film on a silicon surface while rotating the device substrate at a first rotational speed, thereby removing the deposited film lying in the peripheral portion of the device substrate and exposing the underlying silicon. A second polishing tape is pressed against the exposed silicon lying in the peripheral portion of the device substrate while rotating the device substrate at a second rotational speed, thereby polishing the silicon to a predetermined depth.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2011Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignees: Ebara Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Masayuki Nakanishi, Tetsuji Togawa, Kenya Ito, Masaya Seki, Kenji Iwade, Takeo Kubota
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Patent number: 8393935Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery (a bevel portion, a notch portion, an edge-cut portion) of a substrate by bringing a polishing tool into sliding contact with the periphery of the substrate. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate, and a polishing head configured to polish the periphery of the substrate held by the substrate holder using the polishing tool. The polishing head includes a press pad for pressing the polishing tool against the periphery of the substrate, and a linear motor configured to reciprocate the press pad.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2008Date of Patent: March 12, 2013Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Norio Kimura, Kenya Ito, Tamami Takahashi, Masaya Seki
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Publication number: 20120252320Abstract: The polishing apparatus has a polishing unit capable of forming a right-angled cross section by polishing a peripheral portion of the substrate. The polishing unit includes a polishing head having a pressing member configured to press a polishing tape against the peripheral portion of the substrate from above, a tape supply and recovery mechanism configured to supply the polishing tape to the polishing head and to recover the polishing tape from the polishing head, a first moving mechanism configured to move the polishing head in a radial direction of the substrate, and a second moving mechanism configured to move the tape supply and recovery mechanism in the radial direction of the substrate. The guide rollers are arranged such that the polishing tape extends parallel to a tangential direction of the substrate and a polishing surface of the polishing tape is parallel to a surface of the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2011Publication date: October 4, 2012Inventors: Masaya Seki, Tetsuji Togawa, Masayuki Nakanishi
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Publication number: 20120244787Abstract: The polishing apparatus has a polishing unit capable of polishing a peripheral portion of the substrate to form a right-angled cross section. The polishing apparatus includes: a substrate holder that holds and rotates the substrate; guide rollers that support a polishing tape; and a polishing head having a pressing member that presses an edge of the polishing tape against the peripheral portion of the substrate from above. The guide rollers are arranged such that the polishing tape extends parallel to a tangential direction of the substrate and a polishing surface of the polishing tape is parallel to a surface of the substrate. The substrate holder includes: a holding stage that holds the substrate; and a supporting stage that supports a lower surface of the peripheral portion of the substrate in its entirety. The supporting stage rotates in unison with the holding stage.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2011Publication date: September 27, 2012Inventors: Masaya SEKI, Tetsuji TOGAWA, Masayuki NAKANISHI, Naoki MATSUDA, Atsushi YOSHIDA
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Publication number: 20120208437Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery of a substrate. This polishing apparatus includes a rotary holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate horizontally and rotate the substrate, plural polishing head assemblies provided around the substrate, plural tape supplying and recovering mechanisms configured to supply polishing tapes to the plural polishing head assemblies and recover the polishing tapes from the plural polishing head assemblies, and plural moving mechanisms configured to move the plural polishing head assemblies in radial directions of the substrate held by the rotary holding mechanism. The tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are located outwardly of the plural polishing head assemblies in the radial directions of the substrate, and the tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are fixed in position.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Inventors: Tamami TAKAHASHI, Masaya Seki, Hiroaki Kusa, Kenji Yamaguchi, Masayuki Nakanishi
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Publication number: 20120135668Abstract: A method of polishing a peripheral portion of a substrate is provided. This method includes: causing sliding contact between the peripheral portion of the substrate and a polishing tape; and supplying a polishing liquid onto the polishing tape contacting the peripheral portion of the substrate. The polishing tape includes a base tape and a fixed abrasive formed on the base tape, and the polishing liquid is an alkaline polishing liquid containing an alkaline chemical and an additive including molecules that cause steric hindrance.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2011Publication date: May 31, 2012Inventors: Masayuki Nakanishi, Masaya Seki, Kenji Kodera
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Patent number: 8187055Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery of a substrate. This polishing apparatus includes a rotary holding mechanism configured to hold the substrate horizontally and rotate the substrate, plural polishing head assemblies provided around the substrate, plural tape supplying and recovering mechanisms configured to supply polishing tapes to the plural polishing head assemblies and recover the polishing tapes from the plural polishing head assemblies, and plural moving mechanisms configured to move the plural polishing head assemblies in radial directions of the substrate held by the rotary holding mechanism. The tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are located outwardly of the plural polishing head assemblies in the radial directions of the substrate, and the tape supplying and recovering mechanisms are fixed in position.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2008Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Tamami Takahashi, Masaya Seki, Hiroaki Kusa, Kenji Yamaguchi, Masayuki Nakanishi
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Patent number: 8047896Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing apparatus and a polishing method capable of calculating outside diameters of rolls of a polishing tape on a polishing-tape supply reel and a polishing-tape recovery reel and capable of calculating a remaining amount of the polishing tape and a consumption of the polishing tape from the outside diameters of the rolls. This polishing apparatus includes a polishing-tape supply reel (46), a polishing head (44), a polishing-tape drawing-out mechanism G1, and a polishing-tape supply and recovery mechanism (45) configured to recover the polishing tape (43) from the polishing-tape supply reel (46) via the polishing head (44).Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2007Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Tamami Takahashi, Kenya Ito, Masaya Seki, Hiroaki Kusa