Patents by Inventor Nobuhiro Ogata

Nobuhiro Ogata 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: 20180221925
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a stationary cup body 51 provided to surround a substrate holding unit 31 and configured to receive a processing liquid or mist of the processing liquid discharged onto a substrate, the stationary cup body not being moved relatively with respect to a processing vessel; a mist guard 80; and a guard elevating mechanism 84 configured to elevate the mist guard. Here, the mist guard is provided at an outside of the stationary cup body to surround the stationary cup body and configured to block a liquid scattered outwards beyond a space above the stationary cup body. Further, the mist guard includes a cylindrical portion 81 of a cylindrical shape and a protruding portion 82 protruded from an upper portion of the cylindrical portion toward an inside of the cylindrical portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Norihiro Ito, Jiro Higashijima, Nobuhiro Ogata, Takahisa Otsuka, Yuichi Douki, Yusuke Hashimoto, Kazuhiro Aiura, Daisuke Goto
  • Patent number: 9933702
    Abstract: A processing fluid can be discharged according to a discharge type for a process involved, without a discharge defect. A substrate processing apparatus includes a nozzle and a pipeline. The nozzle is configured to discharge the processing fluid toward a substrate, and the processing fluid is supplied to the nozzle through the pipeline. The pipeline has a three-layer structure having a first layer, a second layer and a third layer in this sequence from an inner side thereof. Further, a leading end portion of the first layer and a leading end portion of the third layer are bonded to the nozzle, and the leading end portion of the first layer is located at a position which is not protruded more than a leading end portion of the second layer with respect to a discharging direction of the processing fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Jiro Higashijima, Nobuhiro Ogata
  • Publication number: 20180090306
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing liquid supply mechanism 70 configured to supply a SPM liquid to a substrate; a temperature adjusting unit (heater) 303 configured to adjust a temperature of the SPM liquid at a time when the SPM liquid is supplied to the substrate from the processing liquid supply mechanism 70; an acquisition unit (temperature sensor) 80 configured to acquire temperature information of the SPM liquid on a surface of the substrate; and a control unit 18 configured to set an adjustment amount of the temperature adjusting unit (heater) 303 based on the temperature information of the SPM liquid acquired by the acquisition unit (temperature sensor) 80. The temperature adjusting unit (heater) 303 adjusts, based on the adjustment amount set by the control unit 18, the temperature of the SPM liquid at the time when the SPM liquid is supplied to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Jiro Higashijima, Nobuhiro Ogata, Yusuke Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20170361364
    Abstract: According to the present disclosure, both first and second cup bodies are brought into a state of being close to each other by lifting one of the first and second cup bodies. A first gap between a gap forming portion formed on the lower surface of a first protruding portion and the upper surface of a second protruding portion is narrower than a second gap between a portion of the first protruding portion where the gap forming portion is absent, and the upper surface of the second protruding portion. In this state, a cleaning liquid is supplied to the second gap. Since movement of the cleaning liquid that tends to flow radially outward is restricted by the first narrow gap, the entire area between the first and second protruding portions may be filled with the cleaning liquid so that the surface to be cleaned may be evenly cleaned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Norihiro Ito, Jiro Higashijima, Yusuke Hashimoto, Kazuhiro Aiura
  • Patent number: 9721813
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a cleaning method which enables a cup and a member around the cup to be cleaned thoroughly. In this cleaning method, a cleaning liquid is supplied to a cleaning jig from the upper side of the cleaning jig while rotating the cleaning jig held by a substrate holding unit. The cleaning liquid supplied to the cleaning jig is scattered obliquely upward along an inclined surface of an inclined portion which is provided around the entire circumference of the cleaning jig in the vicinity of the outer circumferential edge of the cleaning jig, thereby cleaning cups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Hiromi Kiyose, Hidetsugu Yano, Tsukasa Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20170200624
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus including: a holding unit configured to hold a substrate; a processing liquid supply unit configured to supply a first processing liquid and a second processing liquid to the substrate; a first cup configured to recover the first processing liquid; a second cup disposed adjacent to the first cup and configured to recover the second processing liquid; a recovery portion defined by a peripheral wall portion that is erected on a bottom portion of the first cup; and a cleaning liquid supply unit configured to supply a cleaning liquid to the recovery portion. The peripheral wall portion is cleaned by causing the cleaning liquid supplied by the cleaning liquid supply unit to overflow from the peripheral wall portion to the second cup side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Jiro Higashijima, Nobuhiro Ogata, Yusuke Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20170059996
    Abstract: A processing fluid can be discharged according to a discharge type for a process involved, without a discharge defect. A substrate processing apparatus includes a nozzle and a pipeline. The nozzle is configured to discharge the processing fluid toward a substrate, and the processing fluid is supplied to the nozzle through the pipeline. The pipeline has a three-layer structure having a first layer, a second layer and a third layer in this sequence from an inner side thereof. Further, a leading end portion of the first layer and a leading end portion of the third layer are bonded to the nozzle, and the leading end portion of the first layer is located at a position which is not protruded more than a leading end portion of the second layer with respect to a discharging direction of the processing fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Jiro Higashijima, Nobuhiro Ogata
  • Patent number: 9484230
    Abstract: A substrate liquid processing apparatus of the present invention includes a process-liquid supply unit selectively supplying a plurality of types of process-liquids to the substrate held by a substrate holding table, first and second guide cups which are disposed in this order from the top and are configured to respectively guide downward the process-liquid scattering from the rotating substrate while being held by the substrate holding table; and a position adjustment mechanism adjusting a positional relationship between the first and second guide cups and the substrate holding table. A first process-liquid recovery tank is provided at a lower area of the first and second guide cups and recovers the process-liquid guided by the first guide cup. A second process-liquid recovery tank is provided at the inner peripheral side of the first process-liquid recovery tank and recovers the process-liquid guided by the second guide cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Shuichi Nagamine
  • Patent number: 9387520
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid processing apparatus and a cleaning method which may perform cleaning on a portion which is not in the vicinity of a drain section in an exhaust route. The liquid processing apparatus includes an exhaust section provided in vicinity of the drain section, which is configured to exhaust a surrounding atmosphere of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; an exhaust route forming member configured to form an exhaust route reaching the exhaust section; and a first cleaning unit configured to supply a cleaning liquid to the exhaust route forming member at the exhaust route side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Terufumi Wakiyama, Yoshihiro Kai, Ryouga Kamo, Yoshinori Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9355871
    Abstract: A substrate liquid processing apparatus is provided, in which a processing solution and an atmosphere can be separated from each other within a collection cup. The substrate liquid processing apparatus includes: a substrate rotation unit; a processing solution supply unit; a collection cup configured to collect the processing solutions; liquid collection regions formed at the collection cup; a liquid drain opening formed at a bottom portion of the collection cup; an exhaust opening formed above the liquid drain opening; a fixed cover configured to cover an upper portion of the exhaust opening with a space therebetween; an elevating cup provided above the fixed cover and configured to guide the processing solutions into the liquid collection regions; and a cup elevating unit configured to move up and down the elevating cup depending on the kinds of the processing solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Jiro Higashijima, Norihiro Ito, Nobuhiro Ogata, Shuichi Nagamine
  • Patent number: 9305767
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid processing apparatus including a rotation unit configured to hold the target substrate and rotate the target substrate around a vertical axis; a processing solution supply nozzle configured to supply the processing solution to the surface of the target substrate being rotated; a first gas supply unit configured to form a downward flow of a first gas that flows over the entire surface of the target substrate and is introduced into a cup in order to form a processing atmosphere suitable for a liquid process to be performed; and a second gas supply unit configured to form a downward flow of a second gas different from the first gas in a region outside the downward flow of the first gas. The first gas supply unit and the second gas supply unit are provided at a ceiling portion of the housing serving as the processing space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenji Nishi, Kazuhiro Takeshita, Nobuhiro Ogata, Satoru Tanaka, Shogo Mizota
  • Patent number: 9108228
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid processing apparatus that selectively supplies processing liquids with a switching operation to the surface of a substrate to perform a liquid processing. The liquid processing apparatus includes a first processing liquid supply unit including a first nozzle block that selectively supplies an acidic chemical liquid and a rinse liquid, and a second processing liquid supply unit including a second nozzle block that selectively supplies an alkaline chemical liquid and a rinse liquid. When a chemical liquid is supplied to the substrate from one of the first and second nozzle blocks, the other of the first and second nozzle blocks is retreated to a retreat position. When the rinse liquid is supplied to the substrate from one of the first and second nozzle blocks, the other of the first and second nozzle blocks is moved to a processing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takahisa Otsuka, Hirotaka Maruyama, Nobuhiro Ogata, Kazuyuki Kudo
  • Patent number: 9108231
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus including first and second cups installed so as to surround a rotation holding unit of a substrate and guide a processing liquid scattered from the rotating substrate downwards. A first driving unit and a second driving unit elevate the first cup and the second cup between a position receiving the processing liquid and the lower position thereof. A controller controls that the first cup and the second cup are ascended at the same time by transferring the driving force of the first driving unit while the first cup or a first elevating member thereof is overlapped with the second cup or a second elevating member thereof from the lower side by setting the ascending speed of the first cup to be higher than the ascending speed of the second cup when the first and second cups are ascended at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Terufumi Wakiyama
  • Patent number: 9073103
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus which includes: a plurality of liquid processing units to supply a processing liquid to an object to be processed and liquid-process the object; a common exhaust path to discharge atmospheres in the plurality of liquid processing units; an individual exhaust path to connect the common exhaust path with each of the liquid processing units; an opening-closing mechanism provided on the individual exhaust path to be openable; and an air injecting port to inject an air into the common exhaust path. An injection amount adjusting valve is provided on the common exhaust path to adjust the flow rate of the air injected from the air injecting port. A controller controls an opening degree of the injection amount adjusting valve based on an opening-closing state of the opening-closing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Morita, Nobuhiro Ogata, Shuichi Nagamine, Kenji Kiyota
  • Patent number: 9048269
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid treatment apparatus for processing a lower surface of the substrate. The apparatus includes a first nozzle disposed below a lower surface of the substrate retained by the substrate retaining unit to eject a treatment liquid towards the lower surface of the substrate, the first nozzle having a plurality of first ejection ports, which are arrayed from a position opposing a central portion of the substrate retained by the substrate retaining unit to a position opposing a peripheral portion of the substrate retained by the substrate retaining unit. An ejecting direction of the treatment liquid ejected from the first ejection port is inclined towards a rotation direction of the substrate rotated by the rotational driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Jiro Higashijima, Nobuhiro Ogata, Satoshi Kaneko, Shuichi Nagamine, Yoshihiro Kai
  • Patent number: 9022045
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid treatment apparatus including a nozzle positioned below the substrate retained by a substrate retaining unit. The nozzle is capable of ejecting two fluids of a mixture of a liquid and a gas. The nozzle includes a plurality of liquid-ejecting passages for ejecting a liquid and a plurality of gas-ejecting passages for ejecting a gas, and also includes a plurality of liquid-ejecting ports each corresponding to one of the liquid-ejecting passages. The liquid-ejecting ports are arrayed on a horizontal line extending inwardly from a position below a peripheral portion of the substrate. The liquid-ejecting ports are configured to eject the liquid towards the lower surface of the substrate in an ejecting direction, and the ejecting direction is inclined at an inclination angle in a rotating direction of the substrate rotated by rotational driving unit with respect to a plane including the lower surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Jiro Higashijima, Nobuhiro Ogata, Satoshi Kaneko, Shuichi Nagamine, Yoshihiro Kai
  • Publication number: 20140360540
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus including first and second cups installed so as to surround a rotation holding unit of a substrate and guide a processing liquid scattered from the rotating substrate downwards. A first driving unit and a second driving unit elevate the first cup and the second cup between a position receiving the processing liquid and the lower position thereof. A controller controls that the first cup and the second cup are ascended at the same time by transferring the driving force of the first driving unit while the first cup or a first elevating member thereof is overlapped with the second cup or a second elevating member thereof from the lower side by setting the ascending speed of the first cup to be higher than the ascending speed of the second cup when the first and second cups are ascended at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Terufumi Wakiyama
  • Patent number: 8881751
    Abstract: A substrate liquid processing apparatus includes a placement table configured to hold a substrate, a rotary driving unit configured to rotate the placement table, a liquid supply unit configured to supply a liquid to the substrate placed on the placement table, and an upper liquid guide cup, a central liquid guide cup, and a lower liquid guide cup which are disposed in this order from the top and are configured to guide downward the liquid scattering from the rotating substrate being placed on the placement table. A driving mechanism is configured to move up and down the upper liquid guide cup, the central liquid guide cup, and the lower liquid guide cup. The driving mechanism is connected to the central liquid guide cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Shuichi Nagamine
  • Patent number: 8869811
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method that can prevent a processing liquid from being left on a lift pin after a drying-out process of a substrate, thereby preventing the processing liquid from being attached to the back surface of the substrate after the liquid processing. The liquid processing apparatus of the present disclosure includes a holding plate that supports a substrate, a lift pin plate provided above the holding plate having a lift pin that supports the wafer from a lower side, and a processing liquid supply unit that supplies the processing liquid to the back surface of the wafer. The processing liquid supply unit is provided with a head part configured to close a penetrating hole of the lift pin plate. The processing liquid supply unit and the lift pin plate are configured to be elevated with respect to the holding plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Shuichi Nagamine
  • Patent number: 8845815
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus including first and second cups installed so as to surround a rotation holding unit of a substrate and guide a processing liquid scattered from the rotating substrate downwards. A first driving unit and a second driving unit elevate the first cup and the second cup between a position receiving the processing liquid and the lower position thereof. A controller controls that the first cup and the second cup are ascended at the same time by transferring the driving force of the first driving unit while the first cup or a first elevating member thereof is overlapped with the second cup or a second elevating member thereof from the lower side by setting the ascending speed of the first cup to be higher than the ascending speed of the second cup when the first and second cups are ascended at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Terufumi Wakiyama