Patents by Inventor Ryoichi Uemura

Ryoichi Uemura 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).

  • Patent number: 10699919
    Abstract: A coating processing apparatus includes: a substrate holding part for horizontally holding a substrate and configured to rotate around a vertical axis; a coating liquid supply part for supplying a coating liquid onto the substrate; a cup body surrounding the substrate; an annular exhaust path formed along a circumferential direction of the cup body between an inner peripheral surface of the cup body and an inner member installed inside the cup body; a coating liquid collecting member installed to cover the exhaust path and having an opening, and configured to collect the coating liquid scattering from the substrate; at least one solvent storage portion formed in the coating liquid collecting member and configured to store a first solvent for dissolving the coating liquid collected in the coating liquid collecting member; and a solvent supply part for supplying the first solvent to the at least one solvent storage portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Ryoichi Uemura
  • Publication number: 20190067043
    Abstract: A coating processing apparatus includes: a substrate holding part for horizontally holding a substrate and configured to rotate around a vertical axis; a coating liquid supply part for supplying a coating liquid onto the substrate; a cup body surrounding the substrate; an annular exhaust path formed along a circumferential direction of the cup body between an inner peripheral surface of the cup body and an inner member installed inside the cup body; a coating liquid collecting member installed to cover the exhaust path and having an opening, and configured to collect the coating liquid scattering from the substrate; at least one solvent storage portion formed in the coating liquid collecting member and configured to store a first solvent for dissolving the coating liquid collected in the coating liquid collecting member; and a solvent supply part for supplying the first solvent to the at least one solvent storage portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventor: Ryoichi UEMURA
  • Patent number: 9869941
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method includes: a first step in which a cleaning liquid is ejected from a nozzle N2 to a central portion of a wafer W; a second step in which a dry gas is ejected from a nozzle N3 to the central portion of the wafer W to form a dry area; a third step in which the cleaning liquid is ejected from the nozzle N2 while the nozzle N2 is moved from a central side of the wafer W to a peripheral side thereof; a fourth step in which a width of an intermediate area generated between a wet area and the dry area is acquired; and a fifth step in which, when the width of the intermediate area exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a process parameter is changed such that the width of the intermediate area becomes the threshold value or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Ryoichi Uemura, Yasushi Takiguchi
  • Publication number: 20170090305
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method includes: a first step in which a cleaning liquid is ejected from a nozzle N2 to a central portion of a wafer W; a second step in which a dry gas is ejected from a nozzle N3 to the central portion of the wafer W to form a dry area; a third step in which the cleaning liquid is ejected from the nozzle N2 while the nozzle N2 is moved from a central side of the wafer W to a peripheral side thereof; a fourth step in which a width of an intermediate area generated between a wet area and the dry area is acquired; and a fifth step in which, when the width of the intermediate area exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a process parameter is changed such that the width of the intermediate area becomes the threshold value or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Ryoichi UEMURA, Yasushi TAKIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9570326
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method includes: a first step in which a cleaning liquid is ejected from a nozzle N2 to a central portion of a wafer W; a second step in which a dry gas is ejected from a nozzle N3 to the central portion of the wafer W to form a dry area; a third step in which the cleaning liquid is ejected from the nozzle N2 while the nozzle N2 is moved from a central side of the wafer W to a peripheral side thereof; a fourth step in which a width of an intermediate area generated between a wet area and the dry area is acquired; and a fifth step in which, when the width of the intermediate area exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a process parameter is changed such that the width of the intermediate area becomes the threshold value or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Ryoichi Uemura, Yasushi Takiguchi
  • Publication number: 20150194301
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method includes: a first step in which a cleaning liquid is ejected from a nozzle N2 to a central portion of a wafer W; a second step in which a dry gas is ejected from a nozzle N3 to the central portion of the wafer W to form a dry area; a third step in which the cleaning liquid is ejected from the nozzle N2 while the nozzle N2 is moved from a central side of the wafer W to a peripheral side thereof; a fourth step in which a width of an intermediate area generated between a wet area and the dry area is acquired; and a fifth step in which, when the width of the intermediate area exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a process parameter is changed such that the width of the intermediate area becomes the threshold value or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Ryoichi UEMURA, Yasushi TAKIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8698052
    Abstract: In the present invention, temperature drop amounts of heating plate regions when the substrate is mounted on a heating plate are detected to detect a warped state of the substrate. From the temperature drop amounts of the heating plate regions, correction values for set temperatures of the heating plate regions are calculated. The calculation of the correction values for the set temperatures of the heating plate regions is performed by estimating steady temperatures within the substrate to be heat-processed on the heating plate from the temperature drop amounts of the heating plate regions using a correlation obtained in advance. From the estimated steady temperatures within the substrate and the temperature drop amounts of the heating regions, the correction values for the set temperatures of the heating plate regions are calculated. Based on the correction values for the set temperatures, the set temperatures of the heating plate regions are changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahide Tadokoro, Ryoichi Uemura, Mitsuteru Yano, Shinichi Shinozuka
  • Publication number: 20120279955
    Abstract: In the present invention, temperature drop amounts of heating plate regions when the substrate is mounted on a heating plate are detected to detect a warped state of the substrate. From the temperature drop amounts of the heating plate regions, correction values for set temperatures of the heating plate regions are calculated. The calculation of the correction values for the set temperatures of the heating plate regions is performed by estimating steady temperatures within the substrate to be heat-processed on the heating plate from the temperature drop amounts of the heating plate regions using a correlation obtained in advance. From the estimated steady temperatures within the substrate and the temperature drop amounts of the heating regions, the correction values for the set temperatures of the heating plate regions are calculated. Based on the correction values for the set temperatures, the set temperatures of the heating plate regions are changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahide TADOKORO, Ryoichi UEMURA, Mitsuteru YANO, Shinichi SHINOZUKA
  • Patent number: 8242417
    Abstract: In the present invention, temperature drop amounts of heating plate regions when the substrate is mounted on a heating plate are detected to detect a warped state of the substrate. From the temperature drop amounts of the heating plate regions, correction values for set temperatures of the heating plate regions are calculated. The calculation of the correction values for the set temperatures of the heating plate regions is performed by estimating steady temperatures within the substrate to be heat-processed on the heating plate from the temperature drop amounts of the heating plate regions using a correlation obtained in advance. From the estimated steady temperatures within the substrate and the temperature drop amounts of the heating regions, the correction values for the set temperatures of the heating plate regions are calculated. Based on the correction values for the set temperatures, the set temperatures of the heating plate regions are changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahide Tadokoro, Ryoichi Uemura, Mitsuteru Yano, Shinichi Shinozuka
  • Patent number: 7867673
    Abstract: A pattern forming system 1 includes a checking apparatus 400, a storage device 502, and a control section 500. The checking apparatus 400 is configured to measure and check a state of a resist pattern formed on a substrate W after a developing process and output a first check result thus obtained, and to measure and check a state of a pattern formed on the substrate after an etching process and output a second check result thus obtained. The storage device 502 stores a correlation formula obtained from the first check result and the second check result. The control section 500 is configured to use the correlation formula to obtain a target value of the state of the pattern after the developing process from a target value of the state of the pattern after the etching process, and to use a difference between the target value of the state of the pattern after the developing process and the first check result to set a condition for the first heat process and/or the second heat process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kunie Ogata, Hiroshi Tomita, Michio Tanaka, Ryoichi Uemura
  • Patent number: 7867674
    Abstract: A pattern forming system 1 includes a checking apparatus 400 and a control section 500. The checking apparatus 400 is configured to measure and check a sidewall angle SWA of a resist pattern formed on a substrate W after a developing process. The control section 500 is configured to use a difference between a target value of the sidewall angle SWA of the resist pattern after the developing process and a check result of the sidewall angle SWA obtained by the checking apparatus 400, to set a process condition for a first heat process 71 to 74 or a second heat process 84 to 89 so as to cause the sidewall angle SWA to approximate the target value thereof after the developing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Michio Tanaka, Shinichi Shinozuka, Masahide Tadokoro, Kunie Ogata, Hiroshi Tomita, Ryoichi Uemura
  • Patent number: 7862966
    Abstract: A pattern forming system 1 is configured to execute a series of processes, which includes a first heat process for performing a heat process on a substrate W after a resist liquid coating process, a light exposure process for performing light exposure on a resist film in accordance with a predetermined pattern, a second heat process for promoting a chemical reaction in the resist film after the light exposure, a developing process for developing the resist film after the light exposure, and an etching process for etching an oxide film by use of a resist pattern formed by the developing process as a mask. The system includes a checking apparatus 400 configured to measure and check a state of a pattern formed after the etching process, and a control section 500 configured to use a check result to set a condition for the first heat process and/or the second heat process so as to cause the state of the pattern to be uniform on a surface of the substrate W after the etching process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kunie Ogata, Hiroshi Tomita, Michio Tanaka, Ryoichi Uemura
  • Publication number: 20090162759
    Abstract: A pattern forming system 1 includes a checking apparatus 400, a storage device 502, and a control section 500. The checking apparatus 400 is configured to measure and check a state of a resist pattern formed on a substrate W after a developing process and output a first check result thus obtained, and to measure and check a state of a pattern formed on the substrate after an etching process and output a second check result thus obtained. The storage device 502 stores a correlation formula obtained from the first check result and the second check result. The control section 500 is configured to use the correlation formula to obtain a target value of the state of the pattern after the developing process from a target value of the state of the pattern after the etching process, and to use a difference between the target value of the state of the pattern after the developing process and the first check result to set a condition for the first heat process and/or the second heat process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kunie Ogata, Hiroshi Tomita, Michio Tanaka, Ryoichi Uemura
  • Publication number: 20090104548
    Abstract: A pattern forming system 1 includes a checking apparatus 400 and a control section 500. The checking apparatus 400 is configured to measure and check a sidewall angle SWA of a resist pattern formed on a substrate W after a developing process. The control section 500 is configured to use a difference between a target value of the sidewall angle SWA of the resist pattern after the developing process and a check result of the sidewall angle SWA obtained by the checking apparatus 400, to set a process condition for a first heat process 71 to 74 or a second heat process 84 to 89 so as to cause the sidewall angle SWA to approximate the target value thereof after the developing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Michio Tanaka, Shinichi Shinozuka, Masahide Tadokoro, Kunie Ogata, Hiroshi Tomita, Ryoichi Uemura
  • Publication number: 20090047586
    Abstract: A pattern forming system 1 is configured to execute a series of processes, which includes a first heat process for performing a heat process on a substrate W after a resist liquid coating process, a light exposure process for performing light exposure on a resist film in accordance with a predetermined pattern, a second heat process for promoting a chemical reaction in the resist film after the light exposure, a developing process for developing the resist film after the light exposure, and an etching process for etching an oxide film by use of a resist pattern formed by the developing process as a mask. The system includes a checking apparatus 400 configured to measure and check a state of a pattern formed after the etching process, and a control section 500 configured to use a check result to set a condition for the first heat process and/or the second heat process so as to cause the state of the pattern to be uniform on a surface of the substrate W after the etching process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kunie Ogata, Hiroshi Tomita, Michio Tanaka, Ryoichi Uemura
  • Publication number: 20070272680
    Abstract: In the present invention, temperature drop amounts of heating plate regions when the substrate is mounted on a heating plate are detected to detect a warped state of the substrate. From the temperature drop amounts of the heating plate regions, correction values for set temperatures of the heating plate regions are calculated. The calculation of the correction values for the set temperatures of the heating plate regions is performed by estimating steady temperatures within the substrate to be heat-processed on the heating plate from the temperature drop amounts of the heating plate regions using a correlation obtained in advance. From the estimated steady temperatures within the substrate and the temperature drop amounts of the heating regions, the correction values for the set temperatures of the heating plate regions are calculated. Based on the correction values for the set temperatures, the set temperatures of the heating plate regions are changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahide TADOKORO, Ryoichi Uemura, Mitsuteru Yano, Shinichi Shinozuka
  • Patent number: 6921554
    Abstract: Process gas supply/stop operations are intermittently performed. As the hydrophobic process progresses, the temperature of a gas contract portion of a wafer lowers. While the hydrophobic process stops, the temperature of the gas contact portion of the wafer rises to the original temperature. Thereafter, the hydrophobic process resumes. Thus, while the temperature of the gas contact portion of wafer is suppressed from largely lowering, the hydrophobic process can be performed. Thus, non-uniformity of the hydrophobic process on the front surface of the wafer is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Koji Harada, Ryoichi Uemura
  • Publication number: 20020153351
    Abstract: Process gas supply/stop operations are intermittently performed. As the hydrophobic process progresses, the temperature of a gas contract portion of a wafer lowers. While the hydrophobic process stops, the temperature of the gas contact portion of the wafer rises to the original temperature. Thereafter, the hydrophobic process resumes. Thus, while the temperature of the gas contact portion of wafer is suppressed from largely lowering, the hydrophobic process can be performed. Thus, non-uniformity of the hydrophobic process on the front surface of the wafer is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: Koji Harada, Ryoichi Uemura
  • Patent number: 6402844
    Abstract: Process gas supply/stop operations are intermittently performed. As the hydrophobic process progresses, the temperature of a gas contract portion of a wafer lowers. While the hydrophobic process stops, the temperature of the gas contact portion of the wafer rises to the original temperature. Thereafter, the hydrophobic process resumes. Thus, while the temperature of the gas contact portion of wafer is suppressed from largely lowering, the hydrophobic process can be performed. Thus, non-uniformity of the hydrophobic process on the front surface of the wafer is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Koji Harada, Ryoichi Uemura
  • Publication number: 20010016225
    Abstract: A coating film forming apparatus comprising a coating solution supplying unit which supplies a coating solution to a rotating substrate, a memory which stores a first correlation between an atmospheric pressure and a film thickness of the coating film formed on the substrate, and a second correlation between a film thickness and a rotation speed of the substrate, an atmospheric pressure detector which detects an actual atmospheric pressure, a film thickness computation unit which computes an actual film thickness of the coating film from the actual atmospheric pressure based on the first correlation, and a rotation speed control unit which obtains a corrected rotation speed of the substrate based on the second correlation and a difference between the actual film thickness and a target film thickness, and rotate the substrate at the corrected rotation speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Inventors: Kunie Ogata, Ryoichi Uemura, Masanori Tateyama, Toshihiko Nishigaki