Patents by Inventor Naoki TOYOMURA

Naoki TOYOMURA 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: 20170162409
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to detach a substrate from a table without damaging the substrate by lift pins. One embodiment of the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus having a vacuum suction table adapted to have a substrate placed thereon, and a plurality of lift pins disposed along the outer periphery of the vacuum suction table. The lift pins each have a distal end portion including a substrate guide surface capable of guiding the outer peripheral end surface of the substrate, and a proximal end portion including a substrate holding surface extending from the substrate guide surface outwardly in a radial direction of the lift pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Naoki TOYOMURA, Mitsuru MIYAZAKI, Takuya INOUE
  • Patent number: 9673067
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus has a substrate rotating device 10, 20 for holding and rotating a substrate W, a cleaning device 41 configured to clean a substrate W which is rotated by the substrate rotating device 10, 20 at predetermined rotating speed, a movement device 42 configured to move the cleaning device 41 between a cleaning position P3 and a separate position P2, and a control unit 64. The control unit 64 controls the movement device 42 so that the cleaning device 41 located at the separate position P2 starts moving toward the cleaning position P3 before a rotating speed of the substrate W held by the substrate rotating device 10, 20 reaches the predetermined rotating speed and the cleaning device 41 reaches the cleaning position P3 after a rotating speed of the substrate W reaches the predetermined rotating speed. Therefore, it is possible to improve the throughput in the substrate cleaning step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio Yokoyama, Junji Kunisawa, Mitsuru Miyazaki, Teruaki Hombo, Naoki Toyomura
  • Publication number: 20170148660
    Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus that can minimize a deflection amount of a substrate due to its own weight and can suppress vibration of the substrate at the time of rotation of the substrate even if a diameter of the substrate becomes large is disclosed. The substrate holding apparatus holds a periphery of a substrate and rotates the substrate. The substrate holding apparatus includes a plurality of support posts supported by a base and vertically movable relative to the base, a plurality of chucks respectively provided on the plurality of support posts and configured to hold the periphery of the substrate, and at least one support pin configured to support a lower surface of the substrate held by the plurality of chucks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Naoki TOYOMURA, Mitsuru MIYAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20160346902
    Abstract: Provided is a wet substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate. The apparatus comprises a table for holding a substrate, and a process liquid feeding mechanism for feeding process liquid to the substrate held on the table. The table includes a support face for supporting the substrate, a first opening formed in the support face, a second opening formed in the support face and arranged at least partially around the first opening, a first fluid path configured to extend to the first opening of the support face via the table and be connectable to a vacuum source, and a second fluid path configured to extend to the second opening of the support face via the table and discharge the process liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Naoki TOYOMURA, Mitsuru MIYAZAKI, Junji KUNISAWA
  • Publication number: 20160141201
    Abstract: There is disclosed an improved substrate holding apparatus which can minimize deformation of a spring, which is provided to bias a support post for supporting a substrate, even when a large centrifugal force acts on the spring. The substrate holding apparatus includes: a support post movable in an axial direction thereof; a chuck provided on the support post and configured to hold a periphery of a substrate; a spring biasing the support post in the axial direction; a first structure configured to restrict a movement of an upper portion of the spring in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the support post; and a second structure configured to restrict a movement of a lower portion of the spring in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the support post.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Naoki TOYOMURA, Mitsuru MIYAZAKI, Takuya INOUE
  • Publication number: 20160099156
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus is provided. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing unit configured to polish a substrate by bringing a polishing tool into contact with the substrate and moving the substrate relatively to the polishing tool; a cleaning unit; and a first transfer robot configured to transfer the substrate before polishing to the polishing unit and/or configured to transfer the substrate after polishing from the polishing unit to the cleaning unit. The cleaning unit includes: at least one cleaning module, a buff processing module configured to perform a buff process to the substrate, and a second transfer robot configured to transfer the substrate between the cleaning module and the buff processing module, the second transfer robot being different from the first robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Kuniaki YAMAGUCHI, Toshio MIZUNO, Itsuki KOBATA, Mitsuru MIYAZAKI, Naoki TOYOMURA, Takuya INOUE
  • Publication number: 20160059380
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a buff process module. The buff process module includes: a buff table on which a processing target object is mounted; a buff head that holds a buff pad for applying a predetermined process to the processing target object; a buff arm that supports and swings the buff head; a dresser for dressing the buff pad; and a cleaning mechanism that is disposed between the buff table and the dresser and is for cleaning the buff pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Kuniaki YAMAGUCHI, Itsuki KOBATA, Toshio MIZUNO, Mitsuru MIYAZAKI, Naoki TOYOMURA, Takuya INOUE
  • Publication number: 20140311532
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus has a substrate rotating device 10, 20 for holding and rotating a substrate W, a cleaning device 41 configured to clean a substrate W which is rotated by the substrate rotating device 10, 20 at predetermined rotating speed, a movement device 42 configured to move the cleaning device 41 between a cleaning position P3 and a separate position P2, and a control unit 64. The control unit 64 controls the movement device 42 so that the cleaning device 41 located at the separate position P2 starts moving toward the cleaning position P3 before a rotating speed of the substrate W held by the substrate rotating device 10, 20 reaches the predetermined rotating speed and the cleaning device 41 reaches the cleaning position P3 after a rotating speed of the substrate W reaches the predetermined rotating speed. Therefore, it is possible to improve the throughput in the substrate cleaning step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio YOKOYAMA, Junji KUNISAWA, Mitsuru MIYAZAKI, Teruaki HOMBO, Naoki TOYOMURA