Patents by Inventor Masayoshi Imai
Masayoshi Imai 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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Patent number: 11848216Abstract: As an aspect of the present invention, a cleaning apparatus for cleaning member has a holding part holding a cleaning member assembly having a cleaning member; an inner cleaning liquid supply part; an outer cleaning liquid supply part; and a control part controlling the substrate cleaning apparatus to perform a first process in which the cleaning member is pressed against a dummy substrate at a first pressure and the outer cleaning liquid supply part supplies the cleaning liquid to the dummy substrate, and to perform a second process in which the cleaning member is separated from the dummy substrate or is pressed against the dummy substrate at a second pressure which is equal to or less than the first pressure and the inner cleaning liquid supply part supplies the cleaning liquid.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2021Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Takayuki Kajikawa, Takeshi Iizumi, Masayoshi Imai
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Publication number: 20230230857Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate. The substrate processing apparatus (1) includes a controller (90). The controller (90) rotates the substrate (W) at a second speed, after rotating the substrate (W) at a first speed. The controller (90) supplies a dry fluid from a dry fluid nozzle (30) onto the substrate (W) for predetermined time after rotating the substrate (W) at the second speed, and while rotating the substrate (W) at a third speed. The controller (90) moves a dry fluid nozzle (30) from a center of the substrate (W) toward a peripheral portion of the substrate (W) while continuing to supply the dry fluid from the dry fluid nozzle (30).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2021Publication date: July 20, 2023Inventors: Masayoshi IMAI, Mitsuru MIYAZAKI
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Patent number: 11495475Abstract: Various methods of cleaning a substrate are provided. In one aspect, method of cleaning a substrate, comprising: holding and rotating a substrate by a substrate holder; and supplying a chemical liquid to a chemical liquid nozzle and supplying two fluids to a two-fluid nozzle while moving the chemical-liquid nozzle and the two-fluid nozzle radially outwardly from the center to the periphery of the substrate, wherein the distance of the chemical-liquid nozzle from a rotating axis of the substrate holder is longer than the distance of the two-fluid nozzle from the rotating axis of the substrate holder while the chemical-liquid nozzle and the two-fluid nozzle are moved radially outwardly from the rotating axis of the substrate holder.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2020Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Koji Maeda, Hiroshi Shimomoto, Hisajiro Nakano, Masayoshi Imai, Yoichi Shiokawa
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Publication number: 20210305069Abstract: As an aspect of the present invention, a cleaning apparatus for cleaning member has a holding part 100 holding a cleaning member assembly 1 having a cleaning member 90; an inner cleaning liquid supply part 110; an outer cleaning liquid supply part 120; and a control part 350 controlling the substrate cleaning apparatus to perform a first process in which the cleaning member 90 is pressed against a dummy substrate Wd at a first pressure and the outer cleaning liquid supply part 120 supplies the cleaning liquid to the dummy substrate Wd, and to perform a second process in which the cleaning member 90 is separated from the dummy substrate Wd or is pressed against the dummy substrate Wd at a second pressure which is equal to or less than the first pressure and the inner cleaning liquid supply part 110 supplies the cleaning liquid.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Applicant: Ebara CorporationInventors: Takayuki KAJIKAWA, Takeshi IIZUMI, Masayoshi IMAI
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Patent number: 10985037Abstract: Various examples regarding substrate cleaning apparatus and methods, and related apparatus and method are disclosed. According to one embodiment, provided is a substrate cleaning apparatus including: a substrate holding and rotating module; an elongated cleaning member configured to come into contact with the substrate while the substrate is held and rotated by the substrate holding and rotating module; and a first nozzle and a second nozzle, both of which are arranged on an identical side with respect to a longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, wherein the first nozzle is operably adjusted to supply liquid more forcefully than liquid from the second nozzle, and the first nozzle is arranged so that the liquid from the first nozzle is reached to a first area located closer to the first nozzle than the cleaning member in the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2018Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Daisuke Minoshima, Masayoshi Imai
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Publication number: 20200176281Abstract: Various methods of cleaning a substrate are provided. In one aspect, method of cleaning a substrate, comprising: holding and rotating a substrate by a substrate holder; and supplying a chemical liquid to a chemical liquid nozzle and supplying two fluids to a two-fluid nozzle while moving the chemical-liquid nozzle and the two-fluid nozzle radially outwardly from the center to the periphery of the substrate, wherein the distance of the chemical-liquid nozzle from a rotating axis of the substrate holder is longer than the distance of the two-fluid nozzle from the rotating axis of the substrate holder while the chemical-liquid nozzle and the two-fluid nozzle are moved radially outwardly from the rotating axis of the substrate holder.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2020Publication date: June 4, 2020Inventors: Koji MAEDA, Hiroshi SHIMOMOTO, Hisajiro NAKANO, Masayoshi IMAI, Yoichi SHIOKAWA
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Patent number: 10607862Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus cleans a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and dries the substrate. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a process chamber having a substrate conveying unit configured to hold a substrate horizontally with its upper surface facing upwardly and to convey the substrate in one direction, and a cleaning unit configured to clean the surface of the substrate in non-contact state by supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the substrate which is moving in the process chamber. The substrate apparatus has an inert gas blowing unit configured to blow an inert gas toward the front and reverse surfaces of the substrate which has been cleaned in the cleaning unit to produce an inert gas atmosphere in the process chamber while drying the substrate with the inert gas.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2017Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventor: Masayoshi Imai
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Patent number: 10500691Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a polisher configured to polish a substrate using a polishing liquid, a first cleaner configured to clean the substrate polished by the polisher using sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide water, a second cleaner configured to clean the substrate cleaned by the first cleaner using a basic chemical liquid and hydrogen peroxide water, and a drier configured to dry the substrate cleaned by the second cleaner.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2017Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Masayoshi Imai, Katsuhiko Tokushige, Suguru Ogura, Katsuhide Watanabe, Junji Kunisawa, Takeshi Iizumi, Mitsuru Miyazaki
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Patent number: 10438818Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, such as a wafer, while supplying a cleaning liquid (e.g. pure water and a liquid chemical) to the substrate, and also relates to a pipe cleaning method for the substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a first cleaning lane including first cleaning units (52), (54) each for cleaning a substrate while supplying pure water to the substrate; a second cleaning lane including second cleaning units (60), (62) each for cleaning a substrate while supplying pure water to the substrate; a first pure-water supply pipe (120) for supplying the pure water to the first cleaning lane; and a second pure-water supply pipe (180) for supplying the pure water to the second cleaning lane.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2015Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Junji Kunisawa, Toru Maruyama, Masayoshi Imai, Koji Maeda, Mitsuru Miyazaki, Teruaki Hombo, Fujihiko Toyomasu
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Patent number: 10229841Abstract: A wafer drying apparatus capable of preventing formation of a watermark is disclosed. The wafer drying apparatus includes: a conveying mechanism configured to convey a wafer in a drying chamber; an inert-gas jet nozzle disposed above the conveying mechanism and configured to form a descending jet of an inert gas; and a liquid suction nozzle disposed upstream of the inert-gas jet nozzle with respect to a conveying direction of the wafer. A distance between the liquid suction nozzle and a surface of the wafer when the wafer is being conveyed by the conveying mechanism is in a range of 1 mm to 2 mm.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2016Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Masayoshi Imai, Satomi Hamada
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Publication number: 20180294171Abstract: Various examples regarding substrate cleaning apparatus and methods, and related apparatus and method are disclosed. According to one embodiment, provided is a substrate cleaning apparatus including: a substrate holding and rotating module; an elongated cleaning member configured to come into contact with the substrate while the substrate is held and rotated by the substrate holding and rotating module; and a first nozzle and a second nozzle, both of which are arranged on an identical side with respect to a longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, wherein the first nozzle is operably adjusted to supply liquid more forcefully than liquid from the second nozzle, and the first nozzle is arranged so that the liquid from the first nozzle is reached to a first area located closer to the first nozzle than the cleaning member in the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2018Publication date: October 11, 2018Inventors: Daisuke MINOSHIMA, Masayoshi IMAI
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Publication number: 20180056470Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a polisher configured to polish a substrate using a polishing liquid, a first cleaner configured to clean the substrate polished by the polisher using sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide water, a second cleaner configured to clean the substrate cleaned by the first cleaner using a basic chemical liquid and hydrogen peroxide water, and a drier configured to dry the substrate cleaned by the second cleaner.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2017Publication date: March 1, 2018Inventors: Masayoshi IMAI, Katsuhiko TOKUSHIGE, Suguru OGURA, Katsuhide WATANABE, Junji KUNISAWA, Takeshi IIZUMI, Mitsuru MIYAZAKI
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Publication number: 20170263471Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus cleans a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and dries the substrate. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a process chamber having a substrate conveying unit configured to hold a substrate horizontally with its upper surface facing upwardly and to convey the substrate in one direction, and a cleaning unit configured to clean the surface of the substrate in non-contact state by supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the substrate which is moving in the process chamber. The substrate apparatus has an inert gas blowing unit configured to blow an inert gas toward the front and reverse surfaces of the substrate which has been cleaned in the cleaning unit to produce an inert gas atmosphere in the process chamber while drying the substrate with the inert gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2017Publication date: September 14, 2017Inventor: Masayoshi IMAI
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Patent number: 9666455Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus cleans a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and dries the substrate. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a process chamber having a substrate conveying unit configured to hold a substrate horizontally with its upper surface facing upwardly and to convey the substrate in one direction, and a cleaning unit configured to clean the surface of the substrate in non-contact state by supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the substrate which is moving in the process chamber. The substrate apparatus has an inert gas blowing unit configured to blow an inert gas toward the front and reverse surfaces of the substrate which has been cleaned in the cleaning unit to produce an inert gas atmosphere in the process chamber while drying the substrate with the inert gas.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2013Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventor: Masayoshi Imai
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Publication number: 20170117165Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, such as a wafer, while supplying a cleaning liquid (e.g. pure water and a liquid chemical) to the substrate, and also relates to a pipe cleaning method for the substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a first cleaning lane including first cleaning units (52), (54) each for cleaning a substrate while supplying pure water to the substrate; a second cleaning lane including second cleaning units (60), (62) each for cleaning a substrate while supplying pure water to the substrate; a first pure-water supply pipe (120) for supplying the pure water to the first cleaning lane; and a second pure-water supply pipe (180) for supplying the pure water to the second cleaning lane.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2015Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: Junji KUNISAWA, Toru MARUYAMA, Masayoshi IMAI, Koji MAEDA, Mitsuru MIYAZAKI, Teruaki HOMBO, Fujihiko TOYOMASU
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Publication number: 20160372344Abstract: A wafer drying apparatus capable of preventing formation of a watermark is disclosed. The wafer drying apparatus includes: a conveying mechanism configured to convey a wafer in a drying chamber; an inert-gas jet nozzle disposed above the conveying mechanism and configured to form a descending jet of an inert gas; and a liquid suction nozzle disposed upstream of the inert-gas jet nozzle with respect to a conveying direction of the wafer. A distance between the liquid suction nozzle and a surface of the wafer when the wafer is being conveyed by the conveying mechanism is in a range of 1 mm to 2 mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2016Publication date: December 22, 2016Inventors: Masayoshi IMAI, Satomi HAMADA
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Publication number: 20140190633Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus capable of efficiently cleaning a substrate, such as a wafer, is provided. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes: a substrate holder for holding and rotating a substrate; a chemical liquid nozzle for supplying a chemical liquid onto the substrate; a two-fluid nozzle for supplying a two-fluid jet onto the substrate; and a moving mechanism for moving the chemical liquid nozzle and the two-fluid nozzle together from a center to a periphery of the substrate. The chemical liquid nozzle and the two-fluid nozzle are adjacent to each other with a predetermined distance therebetween, and the chemical liquid nozzle is located forward of the two-fluid nozzle with respect to a movement direction of the chemical liquid nozzle and the two-fluid nozzle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2013Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Koji Maeda, Hiroshi Shimomoto, Hisajiro Nakano, Masayoshi Imai, Yoichi Shiokawa
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Publication number: 20130306116Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus cleans a surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer and dries the substrate. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a process chamber having a substrate conveying unit configured to hold a substrate horizontally with its upper surface facing upwardly and to convey the substrate in one direction, and a cleaning unit configured to clean the surface of the substrate in non-contact state by supplying a cleaning liquid to the surface of the substrate which is moving in the process chamber. The substrate apparatus has an inert gas blowing unit configured to blow an inert gas toward the front and reverse surfaces of the substrate which has been cleaned in the cleaning unit to produce an inert gas atmosphere in the process chamber while drying the substrate with the inert gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2013Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: Ebara CorporationInventor: Masayoshi Imai
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Patent number: 7479205Abstract: The substrate processing apparatus is provided with a gas-liquid mixing nozzle for generating a process liquid mist by mixing a liquid and a pressurized gas, to discharge the process liquid mist to a substrate at high speeds. The liquid may be remover liquid, intermediate rinse liquid or deionized water. The reaction products which having been generated on the substrate in etching process is removed at high speeds with the flow of the mist, whereby the quality of the process is improved.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2004Date of Patent: January 20, 2009Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seiichiro Okuda, Hiroaki Sugimoto, Takuya Kuroda, Masanobu Sato, Sadao Hirae, Shuichi Yasuda, Kenya Morinishi, Masayoshi Imai
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Patent number: 7428907Abstract: The substrate processing apparatus is provided with a gas-liquid mixing nozzle for generating a process liquid mist by mixing a liquid and a pressurized gas, to discharge the process liquid mist to a substrate at high speeds. The liquid may be remover liquid, intermediate rinse liquid or deionized water. The reaction products which having been generated on the substrate in etching process is removed at high speeds with the flow of the mist, whereby the quality of the process is improved.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2004Date of Patent: September 30, 2008Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seiichiro Okuda, Hiroaki Sugimoto, Takuya Kuroda, Masanobu Sato, Sadao Hirae, Shuichi Yasuda, Kenya Morinishi, Masayoshi Imai