Patents by Inventor Miyako Yamasaka

Miyako Yamasaka 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: 20070204885
    Abstract: Semiconductor wafers are cleaned by placing the semiconductor wafers in a processing vessel, forming a pure water film on the surfaces of the wafers, forming an ozonic water film by dissolving ozone gas in the pure water film, and removing resist films formed on the wafers by the agency of the ozonic water film. The pure water film is formed by condensing steam on the surfaces of the wafers. The resist films formed on the surfaces of the wafers can be removed by also using hydroxyl radicals produced by interaction between steam and ozone gas supplied into the processing vessel. Thus, the resist films can be removed highly effectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takayuki Toshima, Kinya Ueno, Miyako Yamasaka, Hideyuki Tsutsumi, Tadashi Iino, Yuji Kamikawa
  • Patent number: 7191785
    Abstract: Semiconductor wafers are cleaned by placing the semiconductor wafers in a processing vessel, forming a pure water film on the surfaces of the wafers, forming an ozonic water film by dissolving ozone gas in the pure water film, and removing resist films formed on the wafers by the agency of the ozonic water film. The pure water film is formed by condensing steam on the surfaces of the wafers. The resist films formed on the surfaces of the wafers can be removed by also using hydroxyl radicals produced by interaction between steam and ozone gas supplied into the processing vessel. Thus, the resist films can be removed highly effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takayuki Toshima, Kinya Ueno, Miyako Yamasaka, Hideyuki Tsutsumi, Tadashi Iino, Yuji Kamikawa
  • Publication number: 20050011537
    Abstract: Semiconductor wafers are cleaned by placing the semiconductor wafers in a processing vessel, forming a pure water film on the surfaces of the wafers, forming an ozonic water film by dissolving ozone gas in the pure water film, and removing resist films formed on the wafers by the agency of the ozonic water film. The pure water film is formed by condensing steam on the surfaces of the wafers. The resist films formed on the surfaces of the wafers can be removed by also using hydroxyl radicals produced by interaction between steam and ozone gas supplied into the processing vessel. Thus, the resist films can be removed highly effectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takayuki Toshima, Kinya Ueno, Miyako Yamasaka, Hideyuki Tsutsumi, Tadashi Iino, Yuji Kamikawa
  • Patent number: 6613692
    Abstract: Semiconductor wafers are cleaned by placing the semiconductor wafers in a processing vessel, forming a pure water film on the surfaces of the wafers, forming an ozonic water film by dissolving ozone gas in the pure water film, and removing resist films formed on the wafers by the agency of the ozonic water film. The pure water film is formed by condensing steam on the surfaces of the wafers. The resist films formed on the surfaces of the wafers can be removed by also using hydroxyl radicals produced by interaction between steam and ozone gas supplied into the processing vessel. Thus, the resist films can be removed highly effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takayuki Toshima, Kinya Ueno, Miyako Yamasaka, Hideyuki Tsutsumi, Tadashi Iino, Yuji Kamikawa
  • Patent number: 6592678
    Abstract: A cleaning equipment generally comprises: a cleaning bath 30 for storing therein a cleaning solution to allow a semiconductor wafer W to be dipped in the cleaning solution to clean the surface of the wafer W; a cleaning solution supply pipe 33 for connecting the cleaning bath 30 to a pure water supply source 31; a chemical storing container 34 for storing therein a chemical; a chemical supply pipe 36 for connecting the cleaning solution supply pipe 33 to the chemical storing container 34 via an injection shut-off valve 35; and a diaphragm pump 37 for injecting a predetermined amount of chemical from the chemical storing container 34 into pure water flowing through the cleaning solution supply pipe 33. The temperature of the cleaning solution in the cleaning bath 30 is detected by, e.g., a temperature sensor 44.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuji Kamikawa, Naoki Shindo, Shigenori Kitahara, Miyako Yamasaka
  • Publication number: 20020155709
    Abstract: While supplying DHF as a chemical liquid to wafers W each having a resist pattern formed on the surface, oxidation films on the wafers W are eliminated by etching and successively, the surfaces of the wafers W are cleaned by supplying the wafers W with a rinsing liquid. Subsequently, by supplying an ozone water of a predetermined concentration, oxidation films are formed on the wafers W in order to make their surfaces hydrophilic. Then, N2-gas (dry gas) is supplied to the wafers W in order to remove moisture adhering to the surfaces of the wafers W. In this way, it is possible to prevent an occurrence of water-marks on the wafers W without collapsing the resist patterns formed on the wafers W, allowing both quality and yield rate of the wafers to be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takayuki Toshima, Miyako Yamasaka
  • Patent number: 6158447
    Abstract: A cleaning equipment generally comprises: a cleaning bath 30 for storing therein a cleaning solution to allow a semiconductor wafer W to be dipped in the cleaning solution to clean the surface of the wafer W; a cleaning solution supply pipe 33 for connecting the cleaning bath 30 to a pure water supply source 31; a chemical storing container 34 for storing therein a chemical; a chemical supply pipe 36 for connecting the cleaning solution supply pipe 33 to the chemical storing container 34 via an injection shut-off valve 35; and a diaphragm pump 37 for injecting a predetermined amount of chemical from the chemical storing container 34 into pure water flowing through the cleaning solution supply pipe 33. The temperature of the cleaning solution in the cleaning bath 30 is detected by, e.g., a temperature sensor 44.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuji Kamikawa, Naoki Shindo, Shigenori Kitahara, Miyako Yamasaka
  • Patent number: 6109278
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid treatment for an object to be processed, such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass LCD substrate, which is designed to remove any chemicals remaining in chemical supply nozzles and also improve the rinse capability and throughput. To that end, a processing liquid supply means is configured as jet nozzle pipes 40, a bottom surface 40c of each of the jet nozzle pipes 40 is inclined so as to slope downward from a chemical supply side thereof to an end portion, and the end portion is connected to a drain pipe 55 by a waste liquid orifice 40d and a drain valve 54. A chemical is supplied from nozzle orifices 40b of the jet nozzle pipes 40, the chemical is brought into contact with wafers W, and a treatment is performed thereby. Thereafter, a chemical-removing agent such as pure water or N.sub.2 is supplied through the jet nozzle pipes 40 to remove any remaining chemical from the jet nozzle pipes 40, then pure water is brought into contact with the wafers W to wash them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Naoki Shindo, Miyako Yamasaka, Yuji Kamikawa
  • Patent number: 6096233
    Abstract: The present invention provides a wet etching method applied to a thin, including the steps of (a) setting in advance an etching rate of said thin film in view of a kind of the thin film to be etched, components of said etchant solution, and temperature, (b) loading the substrate on a spin chuck such that the surface having the thin film formed thereon faces upward and, (c) detecting a thickness of the thin film in at least a peripheral portion and a central portion of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hiroki Taniyama, Miyako Yamasaka, Hiroyuki Kudou, Akira Yonemizu
  • Patent number: 5997653
    Abstract: A method for washing and drying a substrate includes the steps of (a) disposing a substrate on a spin chuck such that a surface to be treated faces upward, (b) applying a washing solution from a first nozzle to the surface of the substrate while rotating the substrate disposed on the spin chuck so as to cleanse the surface, and (c) blowing a gas from a second nozzle against the surface while rotating the substrate and moving the second nozzle above the substrate in a radial direction from a central portion toward a peripheral portion of the substrate, thereby drying the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Miyako Yamasaka
  • Patent number: 5922138
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid treatment for an object to be processed, such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass LCD substrate, which is designed to remove any chemicals remaining in chemical supply nozzles and also improve the rinse capability and throughput. To that end, a processing liquid supply means is configured as jet nozzle pipes 40, a bottom surface 40c of each of the jet nozzle pipes 40 is inclined so as to slope downward from a chemical supply side thereof to an end portion, and the end portion is connected to a drain pipe 55 by a waste liquid orifice 40d and a drain valve 54. A chemical is supplied from nozzle orifices 40b of the jet nozzle pipes 40, the chemical is brought into contact with wafers W, and a treatment is performed thereby. Thereafter, a chemical-removing agent such as pure water or N.sub.2 is supplied through the jet nozzle pipes 40 to remove any remaining chemical from the jet nozzle pipes 40, then pure water is brought into contact with the wafers W to wash them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Naoki Shindo, Miyako Yamasaka, Yuji Kamikawa