Patents by Inventor Mitsuhiro Tanoue
Mitsuhiro Tanoue 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: 7836845Abstract: The present invention provides a substrate carrying and processing apparatus which is intended to reduce the size of the space for storing substrates in each substrate storing section as much as possible so as to downsize the apparatus and increase the number of substrates to be stored therein as well as to enhance the throughput. The substrate carrying and processing apparatus comprises a carrier block S1 which is adapted to position carriers 20 each receiving wafers W therein, a processing block S2 including processing units U1 to U4, 31 used for processing each wafer, a main arms A1 adapted to transfer each wafer to each processing unit, a rack unit U5 which is disposed between the carrier block and the processing block and able to store wafers to be processed, and a transfer arm D adapted to transfer each wafer to the rack unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2007Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Mitsuhiro Tanoue, Suguru Enokida
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Patent number: 7661894Abstract: A processing block S2 includes unit blocks, a BCT layer B3, COT layer B4 and TCT layer B5, for forming coating films, and further includes DEV layers B1, B2 layered with the unit blocks B3, B4, B5 and used as unit blocks for a developing process. Beside the unit blocks B1 to B5, a group G of transfer sections comprising transfer sections adapted to transfer each wafer W with each main arm A1 to A5 of the unit block B1 to B5 and hydrophobicity rendering units adapted to provide a hydrophobicity rendering process to the wafer W is provided. The wafer W is transferred by a transfer arm D between the transfer sections and the hydrophobicity rendering units. In this case, since it is not necessary to transfer the wafer W to the hydrophobicity rendering unit by using, for example, a main arm A4 of a COT layer B4, the load on the arm A4 can be reduced, thereby enhancing the carrying throughput.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2006Date of Patent: February 16, 2010Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Nobuaki Matsuoka, Mitsuhiro Tanoue, Shinji Okada
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Publication number: 20070245949Abstract: The present invention provides a substrate carrying and processing apparatus which is intended to reduce the size of the space for storing substrates in each substrate storing section as much as possible so as to downsize the apparatus and increase the number of substrates to be stored therein as well as to enhance the throughput. The substrate carrying and processing apparatus comprises a carrier block S1 which is adapted to position carriers 20 each receiving wafers W therein, a processing block S2 including processing units U1 to U4, 31 used for processing each wafer, a main arms A1 adapted to transfer each wafer to each processing unit, a rack unit U5 which is disposed between the carrier block and the processing block and able to store wafers to be processed, and a transfer arm D adapted to transfer each wafer to the rack unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2007Publication date: October 25, 2007Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Mitsuhiro TANOUE, Suguru Enokida
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Publication number: 20070089673Abstract: A processing block S2 includes unit blocks, a BCT layer B3, COT layer B4 and TCT layer B5, for forming coating films, and further includes DEV layers B1, B2 layered with the unit blocks B3, B4, B5 and used as unit blocks for a developing process. Beside the unit blocks B1 to B5, a group G of transfer sections comprising transfer sections adapted to transfer each wafer W with each main arm A1 to A5 of the unit block B1 to B5 and hydrophobicity rendering units adapted to provide a hydrophobicity rendering process to the wafer W is provided. The wafer W is transferred by a transfer arm D between the transfer sections and the hydrophobicity rendering units. In this case, since it is not necessary to transfer the wafer W to the hydrophobicity rendering unit by using, for example, a main arm A4 of a COT layer B4, the load on the arm A4 can be reduced, thereby enhancing the carrying throughput.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2006Publication date: April 26, 2007Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Nobuaki Matsuoka, Mitsuhiro Tanoue, Shinji Okada
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Patent number: 6815647Abstract: A heat treatment unit comprises a heat plate made of aluminum nitride which is excellent in heat conductivity and strength inside thereof. The entire circumference of the heat plate is supported by a supporting member which is excellent in thermal insulation. The heat treatment unit is equipped with a nozzle for blowing dry air against the reverse side of the heat plate. When a temperature of the heat plate is lowered, the dry air is blown from the nozzle, thereby quickly lowering the temperature of the heat plate.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2003Date of Patent: November 9, 2004Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Mitsuhiro Tanoue, Tetsuya Oda
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Publication number: 20030121902Abstract: A heat treatment unit comprises a heat plate made of aluminum nitride which is excellent in heat conductivity and strength inside thereof. The entire circumference of the heat plate is supported by a supporting member which is excellent in thermal insulation. The heat treatment unit is equipped with a nozzle for blowing dry air against the reverse side of the heat plate. When a temperature of the heat plate is lowered, the dry air is blown from the nozzle, thereby quickly lowering the temperature of the heat plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2003Publication date: July 3, 2003Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tanoue, Tetsuya Oda
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Patent number: 6551448Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for operating heat processing to a substrate, and comprises a heating plate to mount and heat the substrate thereon, a supporting member to support a lower surface of a periphery of the heating plate, and a supporter to support the supporting member. The supporting member has a stepped portion to surround an outer peripheral surface of the heating plate. The supporting member is fixed to the supporter by a fixing member penetrating through the stepped portion in a vertical direction. The fixing member is provided between an inner peripheral surface of the stepped portion and the outer peripheral surface of the heating plate. According to the present invention, since the fixing member is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the heating plate and the inner peripheral surface of the stepped portion, the supporting member does not exist between the fixing member and the outer peripheral surface of the heating plate.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2001Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Yasuhiro Kuga, Mitsuhiro Tanoue, Kouichirou Tanaka
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Patent number: 6534750Abstract: A heat treatment unit comprises a heat plate made of aluminum nitride which is excellent in heat conductivity and strength inside thereof. The entire circumference of the heat plate is supported by a supporting member which is excellent in thermal insulation. The heat treatment unit is equipped with a nozzle for blowing dry air against the reverse side of the heat plate. When a temperature of the heat plate is lowered, the dry air is blown from the nozzle, thereby quickly lowering the temperature of the heat plate.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2000Date of Patent: March 18, 2003Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Mitsuhiro Tanoue, Tetsuya Oda
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Patent number: 6474986Abstract: In a heat processing apparatus structured to heat a wafer on a hot plate, a black plate at least the rear face of which practically has a color with a JIS lightness of 0V to 4V is positioned above the hot plate. Moreover, cooling air is blown out from nozzles onto the rear face of the hot plate. Thus, the temperature of the hot plate can be cooled rapidly.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2001Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Tetsuya Oda, Mitsuhiro Tanoue, Toshichika Takei, Eiichi Shirakawa
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Patent number: 6450805Abstract: In a heat processing apparatus for heating a wafer on a hot plate, a black plate having at least a rear face practically having a color with a JIS lightness of 0V to 4V is positioned above the hot plate. Moreover, cooling air is blown out from nozzles onto the rear face of the hot plate so that the temperature of the hot plate can be cooled rapidly.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2000Date of Patent: September 17, 2002Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Tetsuya Oda, Mitsuhiro Tanoue, Toshichika Takei
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Publication number: 20010053507Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for operating heat processing to a substrate, and comprises a heating plate to mount and heat the substrate thereon, a supporting member to support a lower surface of a periphery of the heating plate, and a supporter to support the supporting member. The supporting member has a stepped portion to surround an outer peripheral surface of the heating plate. The supporting member is fixed to the supporter by a fixing member penetrating through the stepped portion in a vertical direction. The fixing member is provided between an inner peripheral surface of the stepped portion and the outer peripheral surface of the heating plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2001Publication date: December 20, 2001Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Yasuhiro Kuga, Mitsuhiro Tanoue, Kouichirou Tanaka
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Publication number: 20010038988Abstract: In a heat processing apparatus structured to heat a wafer on a hot plate, a black plate at least the rear face of which practically has a color with a JIS lightness of 0V to 4V is positioned above the hot plate. Moreover, cooling air is blown out from nozzles onto the rear face of the hot plate. Thus, the temperature of the hot plate can be cooled rapidly.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2001Publication date: November 8, 2001Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Tetsuya Oda, Mitsuhiro Tanoue, Toshichika Takei, Eiichi Shirakawa
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Patent number: 6185370Abstract: An exhaust hole has a size covering not only a first region above a hot plate but also a second region surrounding the first region. A plate ember with a plurality of openings is disposed at the mouth of the exhaust hole. The exhaust hole exhausts air from the first region and the second region, even when the heat processing is not performed. Therefore, a solvent volatilized in the first region is also exhausted from the second region and will not leak outside the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1999Date of Patent: February 6, 2001Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Eiichi Sekimoto, Mitsuhiro Tanoue