Patents by Inventor Michiaki Matsushita

Michiaki Matsushita 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: 11699608
    Abstract: A substrate storage apparatus includes a stage on which a cassette that has a lid detachably mounted to an opening is disposed, a lid attaching/detaching plate that performs attaching/detaching of the lid to/from the opening of the cassette disposed on the stage, and is provided to be movable between a mounting position in contact with the lid disposed at a position of the opening and a retracted position not in contact with the lid disposed at the position of the opening, a lid holding sensor that detects whether the lid is being held by the lid attaching/detaching plate, and a controller that determines presence/absence of abnormality related to attachment/detachment of the lid based on a detection result of the lid holding sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akihiro Matsumoto, Michiaki Matsushita, Akira Murata, Minoru Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20210347584
    Abstract: A substrate transfer apparatus includes: a non-conductive support with an upper surface that faces a substrate and supports the substrate; a mover that moves the support to transfer the substrate; a connector that connects the support and the mover while being grounded; a conductive contact that is provided on the upper surface of the support, and supports the substrate in contact with a lower surface of the substrate such that the substrate is not brought into contact with the support; a strip-shaped conductive path that is provided to connect the contact and the connector. The strip-shaped conductive path is provided with a bent portion such that an interval of the strip-shaped conductive path formed by the bent portion is at least twice a width of the strip-shaped conductive path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Hitoshi HASHIMA, Tohru TOCHIHARA, Michiaki MATSUSHITA, Hidekazu KIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20200058531
    Abstract: A substrate storage apparatus includes a stage on which a cassette that has a lid detachably mounted to an opening is disposed, a lid attaching/detaching plate that performs attaching/detaching of the lid to/from the opening of the cassette disposed on the stage, and is provided to be movable between a mounting position in contact with the lid disposed at a position of the opening and a retracted position not in contact with the lid disposed at the position of the opening, a lid holding sensor that detects whether the lid is being held by the lid attaching/detaching plate, and a controller that determines presence/absence of abnormality related to attachment/detachment of the lid based on a detection result of the lid holding sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Akihiro MATSUMOTO, Michiaki MATSUSHITA, Akira MURATA, Minoru TASHIRO
  • Patent number: 10424499
    Abstract: A substrate accommodating and processing apparatus is provided with a cassette mounting table, a processing part, a substrate transfer mechanism, a partition wall, a cassette stage, and a lid attaching/detaching mechanism. The lid attaching/detaching mechanism is provided with a key configured to be engaged with a key hole installed in the lid, and configured to switch a latch between locking and unlocking positions. The mechanism is also provided with a lid abnormality detecting sensor, a lid attaching/detaching mechanism closing sensor, a lid attaching/detaching mechanism opening sensor, a pressure sensor and a control part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akihiro Matsumoto, Michiaki Matsushita, Satoru Shinto, Kazunori Kuratomi
  • Publication number: 20170178941
    Abstract: A substrate accommodating and processing apparatus is provided with a cassette mounting table, a processing part, a substrate transfer mechanism, a partition wall, a cassette stage, and a lid attaching/detaching mechanism. The lid attaching/detaching mechanism is provided with a key configured to be engaged with a key hole installed in the lid, and configured to switch a latch between locking and unlocking positions. The mechanism is also provided with a lid abnormality detecting sensor, a lid attaching/detaching mechanism closing sensor, a lid attaching/detaching mechanism opening sensor, a pressure sensor and a control part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Akihiro MATSUMOTO, Michiaki MATSUSHITA, Satoru SHINTO, Kazunori KURATOMI
  • Patent number: 9627237
    Abstract: A substrate accommodating and processing apparatus is provided with a cassette mounting table, a processing part, a substrate transfer mechanism, a partition wall, a cassette stage, and a lid attaching/detaching mechanism. The lid attaching/detaching mechanism is provided with a key configured to be engaged with a key hole installed in the lid, and configured to switch a latch between locking and unlocking positions. The mechanism is also provided with a lid abnormality detecting sensor, a lid attaching/detaching mechanism closing sensor, a lid attaching/detaching mechanism opening sensor, a pressure sensor and a control part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akihiro Matsumoto, Michiaki Matsushita, Satoru Shinto, Kazunori Kuratomi
  • Publication number: 20140199140
    Abstract: A substrate accommodating and processing apparatus is provided with a cassette mounting table, a processing part, a substrate transfer mechanism, a partition wall, a cassette stage, and a lid attaching/detaching mechanism. The lid attaching/detaching mechanism is provided with a key configured to be engaged with a key hole installed in the lid, and configured to switch a latch between locking and unlocking positions. The mechanism is also provided with a lid abnormality detecting sensor, a lid attaching/detaching mechanism closing sensor, a lid attaching/detaching mechanism opening sensor, a pressure sensor and a control part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Akihiro MATSUMOTO, Michiaki MATSUSHITA, Satoru SHINTO, Kazunori KURATOMI
  • Patent number: 8528889
    Abstract: A substrate support device including a support member having a lower-surface support section to support a lower surface of a substrate; and a position restriction section provided on the lower-surface support section, the position restriction section being formed to surround a periphery of the substrate supported on the lower-surface support section and restrict a position of the substrate. At least one of the lower-surface support section and the position restriction section includes a base material and a protective film formed to cover the base material and prevent at least one of wear and chemical erosion to which the base material will be subject. The substrate support device further includes, for example, a base that supports the support member, and a driving structure that moves the support member in a relative fashion with respect to the base, and is constructed as a substrate transport device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Seiji Nakano, Michiaki Matsushita, Naruaki Iida, Suguru Enokida, Katsuhiro Morikawa
  • Patent number: 8206076
    Abstract: A cassette waiting block is connected to a transfer in/out block of a coating and developing treatment system, and in the cassette waiting block, a cassette transfer in/out unit, a cassette waiting unit, a cassette delivery unit, and a substrate processing unit are provided. In the cassette waiting block, a cassette transfer unit for transferring the cassette between the cassette transfer in/out unit, the cassette waiting unit, and the cassette deliver unit, and a transfer unit for transferring the substrate between the cassette in the cassette waiting unit and the substrate processing unit are provided. Each cassette waiting unit has an opening mechanism for opening a port of the cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Issei Ueda, Yasushi Hayashida, Akira Miyata, Kensei Yamamoto, Yuichi Yamamoto, Michiaki Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20100243168
    Abstract: A substrate support device including a support member having a lower-surface support section to support a lower surface of a substrate; and a position restriction section provided on the lower-surface support section, the position restriction section being formed to surround a periphery of the substrate supported on the lower-surface support section and restrict a position of the substrate. At least one of the lower-surface support section and the position restriction section includes a base material and a protective film formed to cover the base material and prevent at least one of wear and chemical erosion to which the base material will be subject. The substrate support device further includes, for example, a base that supports the support member, and a driving structure that moves the support member in a relative fashion with respect to the base, and is constructed as a substrate transport device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Seiji Nakano, Michiaki Matsushita, Naruaki Iida, Suguru Enokida, Katsuhiro Morikawa
  • Publication number: 20090003825
    Abstract: A cassette waiting block is connected to a transfer in/out block of a coating and developing treatment system, and in the cassette waiting block, a cassette transfer in/out unit, a cassette waiting unit, a cassette delivery unit, and a substrate processing unit are provided. In the cassette waiting block, a cassette transfer unit for transferring the cassette between the cassette transfer in/out unit, the cassette waiting unit, and the cassette deliver unit, and a transfer unit for transferring the substrate between the cassette in the cassette waiting unit and the substrate processing unit are provided. Each cassette waiting unit has an opening mechanism for opening a port of the cassette.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Issei Ueda, Yasushi Hayashida, Akira Miyata, Kensei Yamamoto, Yuichi Yamamoto, Michiaki Matsushita
  • Patent number: 6874515
    Abstract: A substrate dual-side processing apparatus has a processor to apply a specific process to a front surface and a rear surface of a substrate, a reversing unit to reverse the substrate and a substrate-transfer mechanism to transfer the substrate between the processor and the reversing unit. The reversing unit has a holder for holding the substrate when the substrate is being transferred to and from the substrate-transfer mechanism and a rotating mechanism for rotating the substrate, thus the substrate being reversed while held by the holders. The reversing unit may have a pair of holders for holding the substrate at the front and rear surfaces, a drive mechanism for driving the pair of holders so that the holders become close to or apart from each other and a rotating mechanism for rotating the substrate, thus the substrate being reversed while held by the holders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Akira Ishihara, Michiaki Matsushita, Yukihiko Sakata
  • Publication number: 20050042555
    Abstract: A coating and developing apparatus has an interface section equipped with a temperature adjuster (a cooling unit). A temperature-raised substrate due to exposure on periphery of the substrate outside a circuit-forming area thereon is adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the temperature adjuster and then transferred to an exposing apparatus. The temperature adjustments before exposure provide almost the same temperature over many substrates to be transferred to the exposing apparatus for less thermal effects to exposing processing, thus achieving high yields. The interface section is further provided with first and second transfer mechanisms, the first serving to transfer substrates between the processor and the exposing apparatus and the second serving to transfer substrates to each unit of a shelf section, for high transfer performance, thus achieving high throughput.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Michiaki Matsushita, Masataka Matsunaga, Seiji Kozawa
  • Patent number: 6814809
    Abstract: A coating and developing apparatus has an interface section equipped with a temperature adjuster (a cooling unit). A temperature-raised substrate due to exposure on periphery of the substrate outside a circuit-forming area thereon is adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the temperature adjuster and then transferred to an exposing apparatus. The temperature adjustments before exposure provide almost the same temperature over many substrates to be transferred to the exposing apparatus for less thermal effects to exposing processing, thus achieving high yields. The interface section is further provided with first and second transfer mechanisms, the first serving to transfer substrates between the processor and the exposing apparatus and the second serving to transfer substrates to each unit of a shelf section, for high transfer performance, thus achieving high throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Michiaki Matsushita, Masataka Matsunaga, Seiji Kozawa
  • Publication number: 20020157692
    Abstract: A substrate dual-side processing apparatus has a processor to apply a specific process to a front surface and a rear surface of a substrate, a reversing unit to reverse the substrate and a substrate-transfer mechanism to transfer the substrate between the processor and the reversing unit. The reversing unit has a holder for holding the substrate when the substrate is being transferred to and from the substrate-transfer mechanism and a rotating mechanism for rotating the substrate, thus the substrate being reversed while held by the holders. The reversing unit may have a pair of holders for holding the substrate at the front and rear surfaces, a drive mechanism for driving the pair of holders so that the holders become close to or apart from each other and a rotating mechanism for rotating the substrate, thus the substrate being reversed while held by the holders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Akira Ishihara, Michiaki Matsushita, Yukihiko Sakata
  • Publication number: 20020076658
    Abstract: A coating and developing apparatus has an interface section equipped with a temperature adjuster (a cooling unit). A temperature-raised substrate due to exposure on periphery of the substrate outside a circuit-forming area thereon is adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the temperature adjuster and then transferred to an exposing apparatus. The temperature adjustments before exposure provide almost the same temperature over many substrates to be transferred to the exposing apparatus for less thermal effects to exposing processing, thus achieving high yields. The interface section is further provided with first and second transfer mechanisms, the first serving to transfer substrates between the processor and the exposing apparatus and the second serving to transfer substrates to each unit of a shelf section, for high transfer performance, thus achieving high throughput.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Michiaki Matsushita, Masataka Matsunaga, Seiji Kozawa
  • Publication number: 20010055522
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is composed of: a mounting table for mounting thereon a cassette including a lid detachably attached on an opening for carrying in/out a wafer; a cassette station for processing the wafer housed in the cassette on the mounting table; a sub-arm mechanism for taking the wafer out of the cassette on the mounting table, transferring it to the cassette station, and returning the wafer after processing to the cassette on the mounting table; a partition plate for partitioning an atmosphere on the sub-arm mechanism side from an atmosphere on the mounting table side; a slide stage for moving the cassette in a direction of an opening of the partition plate on the mounting table; a lid removing mechanism for removing the lid from the opening of the cassette through the opening of the partition plate; and an X-axis cylinder for controlling a thrust of the slide stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Publication date: December 27, 2001
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masatoshi Kaneda, Michiaki Matsushita
  • Patent number: 6319322
    Abstract: Temperature regulation is performed at a buffer cassette in which a wafer is temporarily housed before and after being delivered to/from an aligner, or at an inlet-side delivery stage of a portion for delivering a wafer to the aligner, in reference with a state of temperature regulation of the wafer in the aligner, so that the temperature of the wafer can be more accurately regulated on a temperature regulating plate in the aligner in a shorter time. Therefore, circuit patterns can be accurately transferred, and throughput can be improved by speeding up the processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Issei Ueda, Michiaki Matsushita, Kazuhiko Ito, Tadayuki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 5964954
    Abstract: There is provided a double-sided substrate cleaning apparatus including a carrier station for loading/unloading a carrier in which objects to be processed are stored, a convey mechanism for conveying an object taken out from the carrier station, at least one cleaning mechanism, arranged along a convey path on which the convey mechanism conveys the object, for cleaning the object, and an object reversing mechanism, arranged along the convey path, for reversing the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Kyushu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsukawa, Akira Yonemizu, Michiaki Matsushita, Akihiro Fujimoto, Takashi Takekuma, Hidetami Yaegashi, Takahide Fukuda
  • Patent number: 5686143
    Abstract: There is provided a double-sided substrate cleaning apparatus including a carrier station for loading/unloading a carrier in which objects to be processed are stored, a convey mechanism for conveying an object taken out from the carrier station, at least one cleaning mechanism, arranged along a convey path on which the convey mechanism conveys the object, for cleaning the object, and an object reversing mechanism, arranged along the convey path, for reversing the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Kyushu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsukawa, Akira Yonemizu, Michiaki Matsushita, Akihiro Fujimoto, Takashi Takekuma, Hidetami Yaegashi, Takahide Fukuda