Patents by Inventor Ryouichirou Naitou

Ryouichirou Naitou 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: 11664249
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a nozzle for discharging a processing solution, a processing solution supply part for supplying the processing solution to the nozzle and a controller. The processing solution supply part includes a tank, a first conduit for guiding the processing solution from the tank to the nozzle, a pump installed in the first conduit, and a filter having first and second spaces, and a filtering member for separating between the first space and the second space. The controller performs a first control process of controlling the processing solution supply part to flow the processing solution from the first space to the second space through the filtering member by the pump, and after the first control process, a second control process of controlling the processing solution supply part to flow the processing solution from the second space to the first space through the filtering member by the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Seiichi Kure, Ryouichirou Naitou, Hideo Shite
  • Patent number: 11567444
    Abstract: A developing treatment apparatus for performing a developing treatment on a treatment object substrate. The developing treatment apparatus includes: a rotating and holding part that holds and rotates the treatment object substrate; a discharger that discharges a predetermined solution relating to the developing treatment to the treatment object substrate held on the rotating and holding part; and a destaticizer that supplies ions ionized by an X-ray to the predetermined solution discharged to the treatment object substrate held on the rotating and holding part, to destaticize the predetermined solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Ryouichirou Naitou, Hidenori Tosu, Takahiro Yamaguchi, Seiichi Kure
  • Patent number: 11433420
    Abstract: A solution supply apparatus is for supplying a treatment solution to a treatment solution discharger which discharges the treatment solution to a treatment object. The solution supply apparatus includes: a supply pipe line connected to the treatment solution discharger; a filter provided on the supply pipe line which filters the treatment solution to remove foreign substances; and a controller. The controller performs a determination of a state of the treatment solution to be supplied to a primary side of the filter and, when the state of the treatment solution is determined to be bad, outputs a control signal for restricting supply of the treatment solution to the primary side of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Ryouichirou Naitou, Masato Hayashi, Hideo Shite, Hiroyuki Ide, Yosuke Kameda, Seiya Totsuka, Atsumu Maita, Takami Satoh, Hirofumi Araki, Kentaro Yoshihara
  • Publication number: 20210124303
    Abstract: A developing treatment apparatus for performing a developing treatment on a treatment object substrate, the developing treatment apparatus includes: a rotating and holding part configured to hold and rotate the treatment object substrate; a discharger configured to discharge a predetermined solution relating to the developing treatment to the treatment object substrate held on the rotating and holding part; and a destaticizer configured to supply ions ionized by an X-ray to the predetermined solution discharged to the treatment object substrate held on the rotating and holding part, to destaticize the predetermined solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Ryouichirou NAITOU, Hidenori TOSU, Takahiro YAMAGUCHI, Seiichi KURE
  • Patent number: 10974181
    Abstract: In one embodiment, after a new filter unit is installed in a treatment liquid supply apparatus, there is performed, before a solvent-containing treatment liquid is passed through the filter unit, a step of soaking the filter unit with a solvent for pretreatment and then discharging therefrom the solvent. The solubility of a material, constituting a filter part of the filter unit, to the solvent is greater than the solubility of the material to the treatment liquid. This step makes it possible to remove a component, which may elute from the filter part into the treatment liquid to produce foreign matters (particles), before treatment liquid is passed through the filter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuichi Yoshida, Ryouichirou Naitou, Arnaud Alain Jean Dauendorffer, Koji Takayanagi, Shinobu Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20200290080
    Abstract: A solution supply apparatus for supplying a treatment solution to a treatment solution discharger configured to discharge the treatment solution to a treatment object, the solution supply apparatus includes: a supply pipe line connected to the treatment solution discharger; a filter provided on the supply pipe line and configured to filter the treatment solution to remove foreign substances; and a controller configured to perform a determination of a state of the treatment solution to be supplied to a primary side of the filter and, when the state of the treatment solution is determined to be bad, to output a control signal for restricting supply of the treatment solution to the primary side of the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Ryouichirou NAITOU, Masato HAYASHI, Hideo SHITE, Hiroyuki IDE, Yosuke KAMEDA, Seiya TOTSUKA, Atsumu MAITA, Takami SATOH, Hirofumi ARAKI, Kentaro YOSHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20200090967
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a nozzle for discharging a processing solution, a processing solution supply part for supplying the processing solution to the nozzle and a controller. The processing solution supply part includes a tank, a first conduit for guiding the processing solution from the tank to the nozzle, a pump installed in the first conduit, and a filter having first and second spaces, and a filtering member for separating between the first space and the second space. The controller performs a first control process of controlling the processing solution supply part to flow the processing solution from the first space to the second space through the filtering member by the pump, and after the first control process, a second control process of controlling the processing solution supply part to flow the processing solution from the second space to the first space through the filtering member by the pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Seiichi KURE, Ryouichirou NAITOU, Hideo SHITE
  • Publication number: 20200016521
    Abstract: In one embodiment, after a new filter unit is installed in a treatment liquid supply apparatus, there is performed, before a solvent-containing treatment liquid is passed through the filter unit, a step of soaking the filter unit with a solvent for pretreatment and then discharging therefrom the solvent. The solubility of a material, constituting a filter part of the filter unit, to the solvent is greater than the solubility of the material to the treatment liquid. This step makes it possible to remove a component, which may elute from the filter part into the treatment liquid to produce foreign matters (particles), before treatment liquid is passed through the filter unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuichi YOSHIDA, Ryouichirou NAITOU, Arnaud Alain Jean DAUENDORFFER, Koji TAKAYANAGI, Shinobu MIYAZAKI
  • Patent number: 10493387
    Abstract: In one embodiment, after a new filter unit (3) is installed in a treatment liquid supply apparatus, there is performed, before a solvent-containing treatment liquid is passed through the filter unit, a step of soaking the filter unit with a solvent for pretreatment and then discharging therefrom the solvent. The solubility of a material, constituting a filter part (31) of the filter unit, to the solvent is greater than the solubility of the material to the treatment liquid. This step makes it possible to remove a component, which may elute from the filter part into the treatment liquid to produce foreign matters (particles), before treatment liquid is passed through the filter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuichi Yoshida, Ryouichirou Naitou, Arnaud Alain Jean Dauendorffer, Koji Takayanagi, Shinobu Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 9975073
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for reducing a processing liquid consumed for removing bubbles from a new filter unit, and shortening a start-up time when the filter unit is attached in a processing liquid supply passage. The method includes: filling the processing liquid into a new filter unit, decompressing inside of the filter unit into a first pressure atmosphere in order to remove bubbles from the filter unit, boosting a pressure of the inside of the filter unit, flowing the processing liquid into the filter unit from a primary side of the filter unit, and supplying the processing liquid flowing from the filter unit to an object to be processed through a nozzle thereby performing a liquid processing and quickly removing the bubbles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuichi Yoshida, Ryouichirou Naitou, Toshinobu Furusho
  • Publication number: 20180061690
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a nozzle for discharging a processing solution, a processing solution supply part for supplying the processing solution to the nozzle and a controller. The processing solution supply part includes a tank, a first conduit for guiding the processing solution from the tank to the nozzle, a pump installed in the first conduit, and a filter having first and second spaces, and a filtering member for separating between the first space and the second space. The controller performs a first control process of controlling the processing solution supply part to flow the processing solution from the first space to the second space through the filtering member by the pump, and after the first control process, a second control process of controlling the processing solution supply part to flow the processing solution from the second space to the first space through the filtering member by the pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Seiichi KURE, Ryouichirou NAITOU, Hideo SHITE
  • Patent number: 9805958
    Abstract: A cleaning liquid and a gas are discharged in sequence to a central portion of a substrate while the substrate is being rotated, and after nozzles that discharge them are moved to a peripheral edge side of the substrate, discharge of the cleaning liquid is switched to a second cleaning liquid nozzle set at a position deviated from a movement locus of the first cleaning liquid nozzle. Both of the nozzles are moved toward the peripheral edge side of the substrate while discharging the cleaning liquid and discharging the gas so that a difference between a distance from the discharge position of the second cleaning liquid nozzle to the central portion of the substrate and a distance from the discharge position of the gas nozzle to the central portion of the substrate gradually decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Ookouchi, Kousuke Yoshihara, Hiroshi Ichinomiya, Hirosi Nisihata, Ryouichirou Naitou
  • Publication number: 20170256427
    Abstract: A cleaning liquid and a gas are discharged in sequence to a central portion of a substrate while the substrate is being rotated, and after nozzles that discharge them are moved to a peripheral edge side of the substrate, discharge of the cleaning liquid is switched to a second cleaning liquid nozzle set at a position deviated from a movement locus of the first cleaning liquid nozzle. Both of the nozzles are moved toward the peripheral edge side of the substrate while discharging the cleaning liquid and discharging the gas so that a difference between a distance from the discharge position of the second cleaning liquid nozzle to the central portion of the substrate and a distance from the discharge position of the gas nozzle to the central portion of the substrate gradually decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Atsushi OOKOUCHI, Kousuke YOSHIHARA, Hiroshi ICHINOMIYA, Hirosi NISIHATA, Ryouichirou NAITOU
  • Publication number: 20160236124
    Abstract: In one embodiment, after a new filter unit (3) is installed in a treatment liquid supply apparatus, there is performed, before a solvent-containing treatment liquid is passed through the filter unit, a step of soaking the filter unit with a solvent for pretreatment and then discharging therefrom the solvent. The solubility of a material, constituting a filter part (31) of the filter unit, to the solvent is greater than the solubility of the material to the treatment liquid. This step makes it possible to remove a component, which may elute from the filter part into the treatment liquid to produce foreign matters (particles), before treatment liquid is passed through the filter unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Yuichi YOSHIDA, Ryouichirou NAITOU, Arnaud Alain Jean DAUENDORFFER, Koji TAKAYANAGI, Shinobu MIYAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20150367266
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for reducing a processing liquid consumed for removing bubbles from a new filter unit, and shortening a start-up time when the filter unit is attached in a processing liquid supply passage. The method includes: filling the processing liquid into a new filter unit, decompressing inside of the filter unit into a first pressure atmosphere in order to remove bubbles from the filter unit, boosting a pressure of the inside of the filter unit, flowing the processing liquid into the filter unit from a primary side of the filter unit, and supplying the processing liquid flowing from the filter unit to an object to be processed through a nozzle thereby performing a liquid processing and quickly removing the bubbles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Yuichi Yoshida, Ryouichirou Naitou, Toshinobu Furusho
  • Patent number: 9162163
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for reducing a processing liquid consumed for removing bubbles from a new filter unit, and shortening a start-up time when the filter unit is attached in a processing liquid supply passage. The method includes: filling the processing liquid into a new filter unit, decompressing inside of the filter unit into a first pressure atmosphere in order to remove bubbles from the filter unit, boosting a pressure of the inside of the filter unit, flowing the processing liquid into the filter unit from a primary side of the filter unit, and supplying the processing liquid flowing from the filter unit to an object to be processed through a nozzle thereby performing a liquid processing and quickly removing the bubbles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuichi Yoshida, Ryouichirou Naitou, Toshinobu Furusho
  • Publication number: 20140352737
    Abstract: A cleaning liquid and a gas are discharged in sequence to a central portion of a substrate while the substrate is being rotated, and after nozzles that discharge them are moved to a peripheral edge side of the substrate, discharge of the cleaning liquid is switched to a second cleaning liquid nozzle set at a position deviated from a movement locus of the first cleaning liquid nozzle. Both of the nozzles are moved toward the peripheral edge side of the substrate while discharging the cleaning liquid and discharging the gas so that a difference between a distance from the discharge position of the second cleaning liquid nozzle to the central portion of the substrate and a distance from the discharge position of the gas nozzle to the central portion of the substrate gradually decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi OOKOUCHI, Kousuke YOSHIHARA, Hiroshi ICHINOMIYA, Hirosi NISIHATA, Ryouichirou NAITOU
  • Publication number: 20140097147
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for reducing a processing liquid consumed for removing bubbles from a new filter unit, and shortening a start-up time when the filter unit is attached in a processing liquid supply passage. The method includes: filling the processing liquid into a new filter unit, decompressing inside of the filter unit into a first pressure atmosphere in order to remove bubbles from the filter unit, boosting a pressure of the inside of the filter unit, flowing the processing liquid into the filter unit from a primary side of the filter unit, and supplying the processing liquid flowing from the filter unit to an object to be processed through a nozzle thereby performing a liquid processing and quickly removing the bubbles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuichi Yoshida, Ryouichirou Naitou, Toshinobu Furusho
  • Publication number: 20090042149
    Abstract: A rinsing process is performed by supplying a rinsing-liquid onto a substrate with a light-exposed pattern formed thereon and treated by a developing process. The rinsing liquid contains a polyethylene glycol family surfactant or an acetylene glycol family surfactant in a critical micelle concentration or less. Preferably, the surfactant includes a hydrophobic group having a carbon number of larger than 11 and having no double bond or triple bond therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Ryouichirou Naitou, Takeshi Shimoaoki
  • Patent number: 7419773
    Abstract: A rinsing process is performed by supplying a rinsing liquid onto a substrate with a light-exposed pattern formed thereon and treated by a developing process. The rinsing liquid contains a polyethylene glycol family surfactant or an acetylene glycol family surfactant in a critical micelle concentration or less. Preferably, the surfactant includes a hydrophobic group having a carbon number of larger than 11 and having no double bond or triple bond therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Ryouichirou Naitou, Takeshi Shimoaoki