Patents by Inventor Ryoichi SAKAMOTO

Ryoichi SAKAMOTO 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: 20240079222
    Abstract: A surface modifying apparatus is configured to modify a bonding surface of a substrate to be bonded to another substrate by plasma of a processing gas. The surface modifying apparatus includes a processing vessel; a measuring unit; and a controller. The processing vessel is configured to accommodate the substrate therein. The measuring unit is configured to measure a value indicating an amount of moisture in the processing vessel. The controller is configured to determine whether or not bonding strength between the substrate and the another substrate, when it is assumed that the substrate modified in the processing vessel is bonded to the another substrate, is good based on the value indicating the amount of moisture in the processing vessel measured by the measuring unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Takashi Terada, Yuji Mimura, Hiroshi Maeda, Takuro Masuzumi, Masaru Honda, Ryoichi Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20240079214
    Abstract: A surface modifying method of modifying a bonding surface of a substrate to be bonded to another substrate by plasma of a processing gas includes an adjusting process and a modifying process. In the adjusting process, an amount of moisture in a processing vessel is adjusted by supplying a humidified gas into the processing vessel allowed to accommodate the substrate therein. In the modifying process, the bonding surface of the substrate is modified by forming the plasma of the processing gas in the processing vessel in a state that the amount of moisture in the processing vessel is adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Yuji Mimura, Hiroshi Maeda, Takuro Masuzumi, Takashi Terada, Masaru Honda, Ryoichi Sakamoto, Takashi Fuse, Yusuke Kubota
  • Publication number: 20230207331
    Abstract: A first transfer device and a second transfer device are configured to transfer a first substrate and a second substrate in a normal pressure atmosphere. A third transfer device is configured to transfer the first substrate and the second substrate in a decompressed atmosphere. A load lock chamber has accommodation sections allowed to accommodate therein the first substrate and the second substrate, and is allowed to switch an inside of the accommodation sections between the normal pressure atmosphere and the decompressed atmosphere. Multiple gates are respectively disposed on three different sides of the load lock chamber, and allowed to open or close the load lock chamber. The first transfer device, the second transfer device, and the third transfer device carry the first substrate and the second substrate into/out of the load lock chamber through different gates among the multiple gates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Takuo Kawauchi, Masataka Matsunaga, Ryoichi Sakamoto, Masaru Honda, Satoshi Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20230055853
    Abstract: A separating method includes holding a combined substrate and separating a first substrate. In the holding of the combined substrate, the combined substrate in which the first substrate and a second substrate are bonded is held. In the separating of the first substrate, the first substrate is separated from the combined substrate, starting from a side surface of the combined substrate. The separating of the first substrate includes brining a fluid containing water into contact with the side surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Takashi Terada, Yuji Mimura, Hiroshi Maeda, Kazutaka Noda, Masaru Honda, Ryoichi Sakamoto, Yutaka Yamasaki, Tatsuya Kitayama, Akira Fukutomi
  • Publication number: 20220384386
    Abstract: A bonding system includes a surface modifying apparatus and a bonding apparatus. The surface modifying apparatus is configured to modify a bonding surface of a substrate to be bonded to another substrate with plasma of a processing gas. The bonding apparatus is configured to bond two substrates modified by the surface modifying apparatus by an intermolecular force. The surface modifying apparatus includes: a processing chamber configured to accommodate therein the substrate; a processing gas supply configured to supply a processing gas containing moisture into the processing chamber; and a plasma forming unit configured to form the plasma of the processing gas containing the moisture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Yuji Mimura, Hiroshi Maeda, Takashi Terada, Masaru Honda, Ryoichi Sakamoto, Yutaka Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 9724906
    Abstract: A delamination method for delaminating a laminated substrate which includes a first and a second substrates bonded to each other, includes: adjusting a position of the laminated substrate at a holding unit by a position adjusting unit and disposing the holding unit at a predetermined height position; disposing a sharp member of a delamination inducing unit at a predetermined height position; detecting a contact of the sharp member by bringing the sharp member into contact with a side surface of one end portion of the laminated substrate; inserting the sharp member into the side surface of the one end portion of the laminated substrate; and delaminating the second substrate from the first substrate by a plurality of suction movement units which sucks the second substrate of the laminated substrate to move the second substrate away from the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masanori Itou, Ryoichi Sakamoto, Takashi Sakaue
  • Patent number: 9643396
    Abstract: A peeling device which peels a superposed substrate obtained by bonding a first substrate and a second substrate together, from one end portion of the superposed substrate toward the other end portion thereof, includes a first holding unit configured to hold the first substrate of the superposed substrate, a second holding unit configured to hold the second substrate of the superposed substrate, and a moving unit configured to move the first holding unit away from the second holding unit. The moving unit is configured to move in at least a peeling direction of the superposed substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masaru Honda, Ryoichi Sakamoto, Katsuhiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9601365
    Abstract: A peeling device separates a superposed substrate, in which a target substrate and a support substrate are joined to each other with an adhesive, into the target substrate and the support substrate. The peeling device includes a holding unit configured to hold the superposed substrate, and a plurality of position adjustment units movable forward and backward with respect to a side surface of the superposed substrate held in the holding unit, and the position adjustment unit configured to perform a position adjustment of the superposed substrate by contacting the side surface of the superposed substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masaru Honda, Ryoichi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 9576854
    Abstract: Provided is a peeling apparatus configured to suppress damage to a substrate, by forming a peeling start point. The peeling apparatus separates a superimposed substrate made by joining first and second substrates into the first and second substrates, and includes a blade configured to form a notch as a peeling start point between the first and second substrates, and an inspection unit configured to inspect a state of a cutting edge of the blade. The inspection unit includes an imaging unit configured to image the cutting edge of the blade, and an image processing unit configured to process an image of the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masanori Itou, Ryoichi Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20160225670
    Abstract: Provided is a peeling apparatus configured to suppress damage to a substrate, by forming a peeling start point. The peeling apparatus separates a superimposed substrate made by joining first and second substrates into the first and second substrates, and includes a blade configured to form a notch as a peeling start point between the first and second substrates, and an inspection unit configured to inspect a state of a cutting edge of the blade. The inspection unit includes an imaging unit configured to image the cutting edge of the blade, and an image processing unit configured to process an image of the imaging unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Masanori Itou, Ryoichi Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20150343755
    Abstract: A peeling device which peels a superposed substrate obtained by bonding a first substrate and a second substrate together, from one end portion of the superposed substrate toward the other end portion thereof, includes a first holding unit configured to hold the first substrate of the superposed substrate, a second holding unit configured to hold the second substrate of the superposed substrate, and a moving unit configured to move the first holding unit away from the second holding unit. The moving unit is configured to move in at least a peeling direction of the superposed substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Masaru HONDA, Ryoichi SAKAMOTO, Katsuhiro IKEDA
  • Patent number: 9162435
    Abstract: Disclosed is a peel-off apparatus comprising: a first holding unit configured to hold a first substrate of a superimposed substrate; a second holding unit configured to hold a second substrate of the superimposed substrate; and a moving unit configured to move a part of outer periphery of the first holding unit to be separated from the second holding unit. The first holding unit includes: a plate type elastic member connected to the moving unit; and a plurality of adsorbing units provided in the elastic member to adsorb the first substrate. An outer periphery adsorbing unit which becomes a peel-off beginning point includes: a pad member whose adsorbing surface of the first substrate is open to form a hollow portion; and a support member fitted into the hollow portion of the pad member having a hardness higher than that of the pad member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masaru Honda, Ryoichi Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20150239227
    Abstract: A delamination method for delaminating a laminated substrate which includes a first and a second substrates bonded to each other, includes: adjusting a position of the laminated substrate at a holding unit by a position adjusting unit and disposing the holding unit at a predetermined height position; disposing a sharp member of a delamination inducing unit at a predetermined height position; detecting a contact of the sharp member by bringing the sharp member into contact with a side surface of one end portion of the laminated substrate; inserting the sharp member into the side surface of the one end portion of the laminated substrate; and delaminating the second substrate from the first substrate by a plurality of suction movement units which sucks the second substrate of the laminated substrate to move the second substrate away from the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Masanori ITOU, Ryoichi SAKAMOTO, Takashi SAKAUE
  • Publication number: 20150101758
    Abstract: Disclosed is a peel-off apparatus comprising: a first holding unit configured to hold a first substrate of a superimposed substrate; a second holding unit configured to hold a second substrate of the superimposed substrate; and a moving unit configured to move a part of outer periphery of the first holding unit to be separated from the second holding unit. The first holding unit includes: a plate type elastic member connected to the moving unit; and a plurality of adsorbing units provided in the elastic member to adsorb the first substrate. An outer periphery adsorbing unit which becomes a peel-off beginning point includes: a pad member whose adsorbing surface of the first substrate is open to form a hollow portion; and a support member fitted into the hollow portion of the pad member having a hardness higher than that of the pad member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Masaru Honda, Ryoichi Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20140332166
    Abstract: A peeling device separates a superposed substrate, in which a target substrate and a support substrate are joined to each other with an adhesive, into the target substrate and the support substrate. The peeling device includes a holding unit configured to hold the superposed substrate, and a plurality of position adjustment units movable forward and backward with respect to a side surface of the superposed substrate held in the holding unit, and the position adjustment unit configured to perform a position adjustment of the superposed substrate by contacting the side surface of the superposed substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masaru HONDA, Ryoichi SAKAMOTO