Patents by Inventor Satoshi Shimmura

Satoshi Shimmura 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: 20240085813
    Abstract: A cleaning method of cleaning a solution treatment apparatus for applying a coating solution onto a substrate, the solution treatment apparatus including a holder holding and rotating the substrate; a coating solution supplier; and an inner cup surrounding the holder from a lateral side and having a peripheral edge side upper surface inclining down outward in a radial direction. The cleaning method includes introducing the cleaning solution to the storage chamber via the introduction hole, discharging the cleaning solution from the discharge port and making the cleaning solution flow down along the peripheral edge side upper surface of the inner cup, thereby cleaning away the coating solution adhering to the peripheral edge side upper surface. The discharging in the cleaning discharges the cleaning solution from discharge ports of the inner cup outward in the radial direction and obliquely upward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Kenta SHIBASAKI, Hiroichi INADA, Satoshi SHIMMURA, Koji TAKAYANAGI, Kenji YADA, Shinichi SEKI, Akihiro TERAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240009697
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus that applies a coating liquid onto a substrate, includes: a substrate holder that holds and rotates the substrate; a coating liquid supplier that supplies the coating liquid to the substrate; a cup provided to surround the substrate; and a solvent supplier that supplies a solvent for the coating liquid to a coating liquid collector. The cup includes: an outer cup arranged outside the substrate holder; an inner cup arranged on an inner peripheral side of the outer cup below the substrate holder and having a downwardly-extending wall; an exhaust path provided between the outer and inner cups; and the coating liquid collector provided with a plurality of openings through which an exhaust flow passes, the coating liquid collector extending downward below the downwardly-extending wall of the inner cup with a gap between the coating liquid collector and a lower end of the downwardly-extending wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Junghyun KIM, Koshi MUTA, Daiki TAKAHASHI, Kohei KAWAKAMI, Satoshi SHIMMURA, Kenta SHIBASAKI, Shota UEYAMA, Tetsushi MIYAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240012329
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus that applies a coating liquid onto a substrate, includes: a substrate holder that holds and rotates the substrate; a coating liquid supplier that applies the coating liquid to the substrate; a cup provided to surround the substrate; and a solvent supplier that supplies a solvent for the coating liquid to a coating liquid collector. The cup includes: an outer cup arranged outside the substrate holder; an inner cup arranged on an inner peripheral side of the outer cup below the substrate holder and having a downwardly-extending wall; an exhaust path provided between the outer and inner cups; a cylindrical wall portion provided below the inner cup and having an upwardly-opened exhaust port communicating with the exhaust path; and the coating liquid collector arranged below the wall of the inner cup with a gap between the coating liquid collector and a lower end of the wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Junghyun KIM, Koshi MUTA, Daiki TAKAHASHI, Kohei KAWAKAMI, Satoshi SHIMMURA, Kenta SHIBASAKI, Shota UEYAMA, Tetsushi MIYAMOTO
  • Patent number: 11868057
    Abstract: A solution treatment apparatus applies a coating solution onto a substrate. The apparatus includes a holder holding and rotating the substrate; a coating solution supplier supplying the coating solution to the substrate on the holder; and an inner cup surrounding the holder from a lateral side and having a peripheral edge side upper surface inclining down outward in a radial direction from an apex part located below a peripheral edge side of the substrate on the holder. The inner cup has discharge ports formed along a circumferential direction at the apex part; and the discharge ports are formed to discharge a cleaning solution and make the cleaning solution flow down along the peripheral edge side upper surface of the inner cup, thereby cleaning the peripheral edge side upper surface, and to discharge the cleaning solution outward in the radial direction and obliquely upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kenta Shibasaki, Hiroichi Inada, Satoshi Shimmura, Koji Takayanagi, Kenji Yada, Shinichi Seki, Akihiro Teramoto
  • Patent number: 11862485
    Abstract: A nozzle standby device configured to allow a nozzle to stand by therein includes a nozzle accommodation unit, having an inner circumferential surface formed to surround a leading end portion of the nozzle, provided with a drain opening facing a discharge opening of the nozzle; and a solvent discharge opening opened within the nozzle accommodation unit. The nozzle accommodation unit has a diameter reducing portion having a first and a second inner circumferential surfaces having different angles with respect to a center line of the nozzle accommodation unit such that an inner diameter of the diameter reducing portion becomes smaller toward the drain opening. An intersection point of two straight lines extending along two opposite portions of the first inner circumferential surface is located above the discharge opening of the nozzle when the leading end portion of the nozzle is placed in the diameter reducing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimmura, Kohei Kawakami, Hiroichi Inada, Koji Takayanagi
  • Publication number: 20220113643
    Abstract: A solution treatment apparatus for applying a coating solution onto a substrate, includes: a holder holding and rotating the substrate; a coating solution supplier supplying the coating solution to the substrate on the holder; and an inner cup surrounding the holder from a lateral side and having a peripheral edge side upper surface inclining down outward in a radial direction from an apex part located below a peripheral edge side of the substrate on the holder, wherein: the inner cup has a plurality of discharge ports formed along a circumferential direction at the apex part; and the discharge ports are formed to discharge a cleaning solution and make the cleaning solution flow down along the peripheral edge side upper surface of the inner cup, thereby cleaning the peripheral edge side upper surface, and to discharge the cleaning solution outward in the radial direction and obliquely upward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Kenta SHIBASAKI, Hiroichi INADA, Satoshi SHIMMURA, Koji TAKAYANAGI, Kenji YADA, Shinichi SEKI, Akihiro TERAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220084844
    Abstract: A nozzle standby device configured to allow a nozzle to stand by therein includes a nozzle accommodation unit, having an inner circumferential surface formed to surround a leading end portion of the nozzle, provided with a drain opening facing a discharge opening of the nozzle; and a solvent discharge opening opened within the nozzle accommodation unit. The nozzle accommodation unit has a diameter reducing portion having a first and a second inner circumferential surfaces having different angles with respect to a center line of the nozzle accommodation unit such that an inner diameter of the diameter reducing portion becomes smaller toward the drain opening. An intersection point of two straight lines extending along two opposite portions of the first inner circumferential surface is located above the discharge opening of the nozzle when the leading end portion of the nozzle is placed in the diameter reducing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimmura, Kohei Kawakami, Hiroichi Inada, Koji Takayanagi
  • Patent number: 11273464
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a cover member placed to surround a substrate held by a rotary holder; a collecting member placed in an exhaust path formed between the cover member and the rotary holder; and a solvent supply placed above the collecting member and configured to supply a solvent to the collecting member. The solvent supply includes an inner storage space surrounding the substrate; an outer storage space surrounding the inner storage space; and a partition wall extending along a circumferential direction to partition the inner storage space and the outer storage space. Multiple communication holes are extended to penetrate the partition wall such that the solvent introduced into the outer storage space flows to the inner storage space. Multiple dripping holes are extended to penetrate a bottom wall of the inner storage space such that the solvent within the inner storage space drops toward the collecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimmura, Yuji Sakai, Kenta Shibasaki, Koji Takayanagi, Kenji Yada, Hiroichi Inada, Shinichi Seki, Kento Ogata
  • Patent number: 11235350
    Abstract: A solution treatment apparatus includes: a substrate holding unit holds and rotates a substrate; a coating solution supply unit applies a coating solution to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; a cup unit arranged outside the substrate holding unit in a manner to be able to surround the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; an exhaust path provided between the substrate holding unit and an inner peripheral surface of the cup unit; a coating solution collection unit provided above the exhaust path in a manner to cover the exhaust path and including an opening part communicating in a vertical direction; a solvent supply unit supplies a solvent for the coating solution to the coating solution collection unit; and a relay unit located above the coating solution collection unit and projecting from the inner peripheral surface of the cup unit toward the coating solution collection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimmura, Yuji Sakai, Kousuke Yoshihara
  • Publication number: 20210039131
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a cover member placed to surround a substrate held by a rotary holder; a collecting member placed in an exhaust path formed between the cover member and the rotary holder; and a solvent supply placed above the collecting member and configured to supply a solvent to the collecting member. The solvent supply includes an inner storage space surrounding the substrate; an outer storage space surrounding the inner storage space; and a partition wall extending along a circumferential direction to partition the inner storage space and the outer storage space. Multiple communication holes are extended to penetrate the partition wall such that the solvent introduced into the outer storage space flows to the inner storage space. Multiple dripping holes are extended to penetrate a bottom wall of the inner storage space such that the solvent within the inner storage space drops toward the collecting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimmura, Yuji Sakai, Kenta Shibasaki, Koji Takayanagi, Kenji Yada, Hiroichi Inada, Shinichi Seki, Kento Ogata
  • Publication number: 20190255561
    Abstract: A solution treatment apparatus includes: a substrate holding unit holds and rotates a substrate; a coating solution supply unit applies a coating solution to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; a cup unit arranged outside the substrate holding unit in a manner to be able to surround the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; an exhaust path provided between the substrate holding unit and an inner peripheral surface of the cup unit; a coating solution collection unit provided above the exhaust path in a manner to cover the exhaust path and including an opening part communicating in a vertical direction; a solvent supply unit supplies a solvent for the coating solution to the coating solution collection unit; and a relay unit located above the coating solution collection unit and projecting from the inner peripheral surface of the cup unit toward the coating solution collection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Satoshi SHIMMURA, Yuji SAKAI, Kousuke YOSHIHARA
  • Patent number: 10379441
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holding part, a processing liquid supply part configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate, a cup body provided to surround the substrate and configured to drain the processing liquid scattered by the rotation of the substrate, a solvent supply part configured to supply a solvent for dissolving a solid component generated from the processing liquid, an exhaust path member having an exhaust port opened inside the cup body, and configured to exhaust an atmosphere around the substrate, and a liquid diffusion part having a concavo-convex pattern and provided on an inner surface of an exhaust path so that the solvent is spread by a capillary phenomenon inside the exhaust path through which the atmosphere is exhausted. The exhaust path is formed inside the cup body and the exhaust path member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Satoshi Shimmura
  • Publication number: 20180373151
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holding part, a processing liquid supply part configured to supply a processing liquid to the substrate, a cup body provided to surround the substrate and configured to drain the processing liquid scattered by the rotation of the substrate, a solvent supply part configured to supply a solvent for dissolving a solid component generated from the processing liquid, an exhaust path member having an exhaust port opened inside the cup body, and configured to exhaust an atmosphere around the substrate, and a liquid diffusion part having a concavo-convex pattern and provided on an inner surface of an exhaust path so that the solvent is spread by a capillary phenomenon inside the exhaust path through which the atmosphere is exhausted. The exhaust path is formed inside the cup body and the exhaust path member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventor: Satoshi SHIMMURA
  • Patent number: 8430967
    Abstract: The hydrophobicizing apparatus includes a vaporizing surface forming member of which surface is located in a vaporizing room; a vaporizing surface heating unit that heats the vaporizing surface forming member; a liquid chemical supply port that supplies a liquid chemical for a hydrophobicizing process on the surface of the vaporizing surface forming member; a gas inlet port that introduces a carrier gas into the vaporizing room; an outlet port that supplies a hydrophobicizing gas vaporized in the vaporizing room; and a processing chamber that performs the hydrophobicizing process on a substrate accommodated therein by the hydrophobicizing gas supplied through the outlet port. With this configuration, the hydrophobicizing gas of a high concentration can be supplied onto the substrate. Further, since the stored liquid chemical is not in contact with the carrier gas when a process is not being performed, degradation of the liquid chemical is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimmura, Tetsuo Fukuoka, Takahiro Kitano
  • Publication number: 20110045166
    Abstract: The hydrophobicizing apparatus includes a vaporizing surface forming member of which surface is located in a vaporizing room; a vaporizing surface heating unit that heats the vaporizing surface forming member; a liquid chemical supply port that supplies a liquid chemical for a hydrophobicizing process on the surface of the vaporizing surface forming member; a gas inlet port that introduces a carrier gas into the vaporizing room; an outlet port that supplies a hydrophobicizing gas vaporized in the vaporizing room; and a processing chamber that performs the hydrophobicizing process on a substrate accommodated therein by the hydrophobicizing gas supplied through the outlet port. With this configuration, the hydrophobicizing gas of a high concentration can be supplied onto the substrate. Further, since the stored liquid chemical is not in contact with the carrier gas when a process is not being performed, degradation of the liquid chemical is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimmura, Tetsuo Fukuoka, Takahiro Kitano