Patents by Inventor Minako Inukai

Minako Inukai 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).

  • Publication number: 20240058847
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for cleaning and drying a substrate under processing, including supplying a cleaning liquid onto the substrate under processing to form a cleaning liquid layer, supplying a gas onto the substrate under processing to partially remove the cleaning liquid layer and thus generate a first dry region on the substrate under processing, expanding the first dry region to generate a second dry region by controlling the movement speed of the boundary between the cleaning liquid layer and the first dry region to be less than or equal to a predetermined speed, and further expanding the second dry region to generate a third dry region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minako INUKAI, Masatoshi TERAYAMA
  • Patent number: 11833550
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for cleaning and drying a substrate under processing, including supplying a cleaning liquid onto the substrate under processing to form a cleaning liquid layer, supplying a gas onto the substrate under processing to partially remove the cleaning liquid layer and thus generate a first dry region on the substrate under processing, expanding the first dry region to generate a second dry region by controlling the movement speed of the boundary between the cleaning liquid layer and the first dry region to be less than or equal to a predetermined speed, and further expanding the second dry region to generate a third dry region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Minako Inukai, Masatoshi Terayama
  • Publication number: 20230260780
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method including supplying a liquid onto a substrate, solidifying the liquid on the substrate to form a solidified body, and melting the solidified body of the liquid on the substrate is provided. When solidifying the liquid, an internal pressure of the liquid on the substrate is varied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Minako INUKAI, Hideaki SAKURAI, Kyo OTSUBO, Tetsuo TAKEMOTO
  • Patent number: 11651953
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method including supplying a liquid onto a substrate, solidifying the liquid on the substrate to form a solidified body, and melting the solidified body of the liquid on the substrate is provided. When solidifying the liquid, an internal pressure of the liquid on the substrate is varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Minako Inukai, Hideaki Sakurai, Kyo Otsubo, Tetsuo Takemoto
  • Publication number: 20230090997
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for cleaning and drying a substrate under processing, including supplying a cleaning liquid onto the substrate under processing to form a cleaning liquid layer, supplying a gas onto the substrate under processing to partially remove the cleaning liquid layer and thus generate a first dry region on the substrate under processing, expanding the first dry region to generate a second dry region by controlling the movement speed of the boundary between the cleaning liquid layer and the first dry region to be less than or equal to a predetermined speed, and further expanding the second dry region to generate a third dry region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Minako INUKAI, Masatoshi TERAYAMA
  • Patent number: 11264233
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for cleaning a substrate includes first cleaning process and second cleaning process. The first cleaning process subjects a substrate to a first cleaning method. The second cleaning process subjects the substrate to a second cleaning method that is different from the first cleaning method and is subsequent to the first cleaning process. The first cleaning method includes at least one of acidic cleaning or alkaline cleaning. The second cleaning method includes freeze cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyo Otsubo, Hideaki Sakurai, Minako Inukai
  • Patent number: 11185895
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a first liquid is supplied on a first face of a substrate. The first liquid has a pH with which a surface zeta potential of the substrate becomes negative and a surface zeta potential of a foreign substance attaching to the first face becomes positive. Then, a solidified layer in which at least part of the first liquid has been solidified is formed by cooling the substrate down to be equal to or lower than a solidification point of the first liquid. Thereafter, the solidified layer is melted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mana Tanabe, Hideaki Sakurai, Kosuke Takai, Kyo Otsubo, Minako Inukai
  • Patent number: 10882082
    Abstract: A freeze cleaning apparatus includes a table for supporting a processing target substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a liquid supply unit positioned to supply a cleaning liquid onto the second surface of the processing target substrate that is placed such that the first surface faces the table, and a cooling gas discharge unit in the table to supply a cooling gas to the first surface side of the processing target substrate. A gap between the table and the processing target substrate is set such that the cooling gas flows as a laminar flow between the table and the processing target substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki Sakurai, Kyo Otsubo, Minako Inukai
  • Publication number: 20200321212
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method including supplying a liquid onto a substrate, solidifying the liquid on the substrate to form a solidified body, and melting the solidified body of the liquid on the substrate is provided. When solidifying the liquid, an internal pressure of the liquid on the substrate is varied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Minako Inukai, Hideaki Sakurai, Kyo Otsubo, Tetsuo Takemoto
  • Publication number: 20200279731
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for cleaning a substrate includes first cleaning process and second cleaning process. The first cleaning process subjects a substrate to a first cleaning method. The second cleaning process subjects the substrate to a second cleaning method that is different from the first cleaning method and is subsequent to the first cleaning process. The first cleaning method includes at least one of acidic cleaning or alkaline cleaning. The second cleaning method includes freeze cleaning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Kyo Otsubo, Hideki Sakurai, Minako Inukai
  • Patent number: 10692715
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for cleaning a substrate includes first cleaning process and second cleaning process. The first cleaning process subjects a substrate to a first cleaning method. The second cleaning process subjects the substrate to a second cleaning method that is different from the first cleaning method and is subsequent to the first cleaning process. The first cleaning method includes at least one of acidic cleaning or alkaline cleaning. The second cleaning method includes freeze cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyo Otsubo, Hideaki Sakurai, Minako Inukai
  • Publication number: 20200156121
    Abstract: A freeze cleaning apparatus includes a table for supporting a processing target substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a liquid supply unit positioned to supply a cleaning liquid onto the second surface of the processing target substrate that is placed such that the first surface faces the table, and a cooling gas discharge unit in the table to supply a cooling gas to the first surface side of the processing target substrate. A gap between the table and the processing target substrate is set such that the cooling gas flows as a laminar flow between the table and the processing target substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Hideaki SAKURAI, Kyo Otsubo, Minako Inukai
  • Publication number: 20200078834
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a first liquid is supplied on a first face of a substrate. The first liquid has a pH with which a surface zeta potential of the substrate becomes negative and a surface zeta potential of a foreign substance attaching to the first face becomes positive. Then, a solidified layer in which at least part of the first liquid has been solidified is formed by cooling the substrate down to be equal to or lower than a solidification point of the first liquid. Thereafter, the solidified layer is melted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mana TANABE, Hideaki Sakurai, Kosuke Takai, Kyo Otsubo, Minako Inukai
  • Patent number: 10486203
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method includes: steps (a) to (d). In step (a), a liquid is supplied onto a nanoimprint template substrate that has a patterned surface with foreign particles to form a liquid film on the patterned surface. In step (b), the liquid film is solidified to form a solidified film including the foreign particles. In step (c), the substrate is reversed. In step (d), the solidified film is melted to remove the foreign particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki Sakurai, Kyo Otsubo, Kenji Masui, Tetsuo Takemoto, Minako Inukai, Masato Naka
  • Publication number: 20180272391
    Abstract: A freeze cleaning apparatus includes a table for supporting a processing target substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a liquid supply unit positioned to supply a cleaning liquid onto the second surface of the processing target substrate that is placed such that the first surface faces the table, and a cooling gas discharge unit in the table to supply a cooling gas to the first surface side of the processing target substrate. A gap between the table and the processing target substrate is set such that the cooling gas flows as a laminar flow between the table and the processing target substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Hideaki SAKURAI, Kyo Otsubo, Minako Inukai
  • Publication number: 20180047566
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for cleaning a substrate includes first cleaning process and second cleaning process. The first cleaning process subjects a substrate to a first cleaning method. The second cleaning process subjects the substrate to a second cleaning method that is different from the first cleaning method and is subsequent to the first cleaning process. The first cleaning method includes at least one of acidic cleaning or alkaline cleaning. The second cleaning method includes freeze cleaning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Kyo OTSUBO, Hideaki SAKURAI, Minako INUKAI
  • Publication number: 20180047565
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method including supplying a liquid onto a substrate, solidifying the liquid on the substrate to form a solidified body, and melting the solidified body of the liquid on the substrate is provided. When solidifying the liquid, an internal pressure of the liquid on the substrate is varied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Minako INUKAI, Hideaki SAKURAI, Kyo OTSUBO, Tetsuo TAKEMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170274427
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method includes: steps (a) to (d). In step (a), a liquid is supplied onto a nanoimprint template substrate that has a patterned surface with foreign particles to form a liquid film on the patterned surface. In step (b), the liquid film is solidified to form a solidified film including the foreign particles. In step (c), the substrate is reversed. In step (d), the solidified film is melted to remove the foreign particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Hideaki SAKURAI, Kyo OTSUBO, Kenji MASUI, Tetsuo TAKEMOTO, Minako INUKAI, Masato NAKA
  • Patent number: 8961696
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for cleaning a semiconductor substrate comprises supplying water vapor to a surface of a semiconductor substrate on which a concave-convex pattern is formed while heating the semiconductor substrate at a predetermined temperature, cooling the semiconductor substrate after stopping the heating and the supply of the water vapor and freezing water on the semiconductor substrate, after freezing the water, supplying pure water onto the semiconductor substrate and melting a frozen film, and after melting the frozen film, drying the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tomita, Minako Inukai, Hiaashi Okuchi, Linan Ji
  • Patent number: 8567420
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for a semiconductor wafer includes: a gas jet device including a gas nozzle which jets a first gas onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer to thin the thickness of a stagnant layer on the surface of the semiconductor wafer; and a two-fluid jet device including a two-fluid nozzle which jets droplet mist onto a region where thickness of the stagnant layer of the semiconductor wafer is thinned, the droplet mist being mixed two-fluid of a liquid and a second gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Minako Inukai, Hiroshi Tomita, Kaori Umezawa, Yasuhito Yoshimizu, Linan Ji