Patents by Inventor Shinji Nagashima
Shinji Nagashima 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).
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Patent number: 7520936Abstract: The present invention is a hardening processing apparatus for heating a substrate coated with a coating solution to harden the coating film on the substrate, which includes a first processing chamber for mounting the substrate coated with the coating solution on a heating plate and heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature on a one-by-one basis; a first irradiation unit provided in the first processing chamber, for irradiating the substrate mounted on the heating plate with ultraviolet light; and a second processing chamber connected in a communicating manner to the first processing chamber, for mounting the substrate coated with the coating solution on a temperature adjusting plate and adjusting the substrate to a temperature lower than a processing temperature of hardening processing on a one-by-one basis, in which the substrate is heated by the heating plate while being irradiated with the ultraviolet light by the first irradiation unit so that the coating film on the substrate is hardened.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2004Date of Patent: April 21, 2009Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Shinji Nagashima, Tomohiro Iseki
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Patent number: 7205024Abstract: Prior to transfer of an wafer W, a mixed gas is being generated and exhausted, thereby fluctuation of concentration and temperature of a solvent component at the beginning of gas introduction into a chamber 3 is suppressed. A step of gelling after the wafer W is carried into an aging unit is divided into several steps. Until a temperature of the wafer W reaches a predetermined treatment temperature, an average concentration of the solvent component in a mixed gas is gradually raised relative to the temperature of the wafer W. Thereby, immediately after the wafer W is transferred into a sealed chamber, the gas of the solvent component is prevented from condensing.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2004Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Kazuhiro Takeshita, Shinji Nagashima, Makoto Muramatsu, Yoji Mizutani, Kazutoshi Yano, Kyoshige Katayama
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Publication number: 20060292298Abstract: Prior to transfer of an wafer W, a mixed gas is being generated and exhausted, thereby fluctuation of concentration and temperature of a solvent component at the beginning of gas introduction into a chamber 3 is suppressed. A step of gelling after the wafer W is carried into an aging unit is divided into several steps. Until a temperature of the wafer W reaches a predetermined treatment temperature, an average concentration of the solvent component in a mixed gas is gradually raised relative to the temperature of the wafer W. Thereby, immediately after the wafer W is transferred into a sealed chamber, the gas of the solvent component is prevented from condensing.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2006Publication date: December 28, 2006Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Kazuhiro Takeshita, Shinji Nagashima, Makoto Muramatsu, Yoji Mizutani, Kazutoshi Yano, Kyoshige Katayama
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Patent number: 6982002Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention for forming a coating film on a substrate by applying a coating liquid to the substrate comprises: a spin chuck for holding the substrate; a motor for rotating the spin chuck; and a nozzle for dropping the coating liquid on the center surface of the substrate. The nozzle included a spiral groove or a plurality of fins for giving a gyrating force to the dropped coating liquid.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2002Date of Patent: January 3, 2006Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Takashi Tanaka, Shinji Nagashima
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Patent number: 6979474Abstract: When a substrate coated with a coating solution which oxidizes at high temperatures is heat-treated, an oxygen concentration of a treatment atmosphere is lowered when the temperature is low. Next, the substrate is heat-treated in the treatment atmosphere of which the oxygen concentration is lowered. Sequentially, the treatment atmosphere is returned to that with the original oxygen concentration after the passage of a predetermined time after completing the heat treatment. Thereby, the substrate can be heat-treated, with the oxidization of the coating solution being controlled.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2001Date of Patent: December 27, 2005Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Yuji Matsuyama, Yoji Mizutani, Shinji Nagashima, Akira Yonemizu
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Patent number: 6827973Abstract: After a first processing solution is spread over the front surface of a substrate and the temperature of the front surface of the substrate is regulated at a predetermined substrate temperature, a second processing solution is spread over the front surface of the substrate. The second processing solution can be spread while the front surface temperature of the substrate is maintained at the predetermined substrate temperature. Hence, a layer insulating film with good adhesion properties can be formed uniformly on the front surface of the substrate, and the quantity of the processing solution to be used can be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2001Date of Patent: December 7, 2004Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventor: Shinji Nagashima
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Patent number: 6808567Abstract: A gas flow regulating surface portion 37a is the farthest from the front surface of a wafer W in the middle between a peripheral portion of the wafer W and a center portion of a sealing vessel. The gas flow regulating portion 37a protrudes to the front surface of the wafer W in the vicinity of a center portion that surrounds an exhausting opening 35a. In other words, a convex portion 37c is formed in a peripheral area of the gas flow regulating surface portion 37a that surrounds the exhausting opening 35a. Since treatment gas flows along the front surface of the gas flow regulating portion 37a, treatment gas equally contacts the wafer W in the radius direction of the wafer W. Thus, a film with equal thickness is formed.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2003Date of Patent: October 26, 2004Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Kazuhiro Takeshita, Shinji Nagashima, Yoji Mizutani, Kyoshige Katayama
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Patent number: 6786974Abstract: Both of a first insulating film and a second insulating film are formed by a spin coating method. Accordingly, the formation of the first insulating film and the second insulating film can be performed in the same SOD processing system. Moreover, the aforesaid formation of both of the first insulating film and the second insulating film by the spin coating method can provide favorable low dielectric constant properties and good adhesion of the first insulating film and the second insulating film.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2003Date of Patent: September 7, 2004Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Takayuki Komiya, Shinji Nagashima, Shigeyoshi Kojima
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Publication number: 20040161548Abstract: The present invention is a hardening processing apparatus for heating a substrate coated with a coating solution to harden the coating film on the substrate, which includes a first processing chamber for mounting the substrate coated with the coating solution on a heating plate and heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature on a one-by-one basis; a first irradiation unit provided in the first processing chamber, for irradiating the substrate mounted on the heating plate with ultraviolet light; and a second processing chamber connected in a communicating manner to the first processing chamber, for mounting the substrate coated with the coating solution on a temperature adjusting plate and adjusting the substrate to a temperature lower than a processing temperature of hardening processing on a one-by-one basis, in which the substrate is heated by the heating plate while being irradiated with the ultraviolet light by the first irradiation unit so that the coating film on the substrate is hardened.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2004Publication date: August 19, 2004Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Shinji Nagashima, Tomohiro Iseki
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Publication number: 20040156996Abstract: Prior to transfer of an wafer W, a mixed gas is being generated and exhausted, thereby fluctuation of concentration and temperature of a solvent component at the beginning of gas introduction into a chamber 3 is suppressed. A step of gelling after the wafer W is carried into an aging unit is divided into several steps. Until a temperature of the wafer W reaches a predetermined treatment temperature, an average concentration of the solvent component in a mixed gas is gradually raised relative to the temperature of the wafer W. Thereby, immediately after the wafer W is transferred into a sealed chamber, the gas of the solvent component is prevented from condensing.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2004Publication date: August 12, 2004Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Kazuhiro Takeshita, Shinji Nagashima, Makoto Muramatsu, Yoji Mizutani, Kazutoshi Yano, Kyoshige Katayama
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Patent number: 6730620Abstract: Processing of applying ultraviolet rays to a front face of an insulating film material formed on a wafer W is performed, whereby a contact angle of the front face thereof becomes smaller. Accordingly, when an insulating film material is applied on the aforesaid front face, the material smoothly spreads, and projections and depressions never occur on a front face of an upper layer insulating film material. Thereby, it is possible to form the insulating film thick and flatter on a substrate.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2002Date of Patent: May 4, 2004Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Kei Miyazaki, Yuichiro Uchihama, Kenji Yasuda, Kiminari Sakaguchi, Shinji Nagashima
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Patent number: 6726775Abstract: Prior to transfer of an wafer W, a mixed gas is being generated and exhausted, thereby fluctuation of concentration and temperature of a solvent component at the beginning of gas introduction into a chamber 3 is suppressed. A step of gelling after the wafer W is carried into an aging unit is divided into several steps. Until a temperature of the wafer W reaches a predetermined treatment temperature, an average concentration of the solvent component in a mixed gas is gradually raised relative to the temperature of the wafer W. Thereby, immediately after the wafer W is transferred into a sealed chamber, the gas of the solvent component is prevented from condensing.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2003Date of Patent: April 27, 2004Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Kazuhiro Takeshita, Shinji Nagashima, Makoto Muramatsu, Yoji Mizutani, Kazutoshi Yano, Kyoshige Katayama
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Publication number: 20040045184Abstract: A gas flow regulating surface portion 37a is the farthest from the front surface of a wafer W in the middle between a peripheral portion of the wafer W and a center portion of a sealing vessel. The gas flow regulating portion 37a protrudes to the front surface of the wafer W in the vicinity of a center portion that surrounds an exhausting opening 35a. In other words, a convex portion 37c is formed in a peripheral area of the gas flow regulating surface portion 37a that surrounds the exhausting opening 35a. Since treatment gas flows along the front surface of the gas flow regulating portion 37a, treatment gas equally contacts the wafer W in the radius direction of the wafer W. Thus, a film with equal thickness is formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2003Publication date: March 11, 2004Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Kazuhiro Takeshita, Shinji Nagashima, Yoji Mizutani, Kyoshige Katayama
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Patent number: 6673155Abstract: An apparatus for forming a coating film comprising, a coating unit for forming a coating film by applying a coating solution onto a substrate, and a curing unit for curing the coating film by applying a heating and a cooling to the substrate, in which, the curing unit comprises a heating chamber having a hot plate for heating substrates having the coating solution applied thereon one by one, a cooling chamber communicated with the heating chamber and having a cooling plate for cooling the substrates processed with heat, an inert gas supply mechanism for supplying an insert gas to the heating chamber and the cooling chamber, and an evacuation mechanism for evacuating each of the heating chamber and the cooling chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 1999Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Shinji Nagashima, Hiroyuki Miyamoto, Shizuo Ogawa, Shinji Koga
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Patent number: 6665952Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for subjecting a substrate on which a coating film is formed to heat processing, and the method comprises the steps of heating the substrate to a predetermined high temperature and decreasing the temperature of the substrate to a predetermined low temperature, wherein in the step of decreasing the temperature of the substrate to the low temperature, a first step of decreasing the temperature of the substrate from the predetermined high temperature to a predetermined intermediate temperature and a second step of decreasing the temperature of the substrate from the intermediate temperature to the predetermined low temperature are performed separately.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2003Date of Patent: December 23, 2003Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventor: Shinji Nagashima
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Patent number: 6660096Abstract: A gas flow regulating surface portion 37a is the farthest from the front surface of a wafer W in the middle between a peripheral portion of the wafer W and a center portion of a sealing vessel. The gas flow regulating portion 37a protrudes to the front surface of the wafer W in the vicinity of a center portion that surrounds an exhausting opening 35a. In other words, a convex portion 37c is formed in a peripheral area of the gas flow regulating surface portion 37a that surrounds the exhausting opening 35a. Since treatment gas flows along the front surface of the gas flow regulating portion 37a, treatment gas equally contacts the wafer W in the radius direction of the wafer W. Thus, a film with equal thickness is formed.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2000Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Kazuhiro Takeshita, Shinji Nagashima, Yoji Mizutani, Kyoshige Katayama
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Publication number: 20030200918Abstract: An apparatus for forming a coating film comprising, a coating unit for forming a coating film by applying a coating solution onto a substrate, and a curing unit for curing the coating film by applying a heating and a cooling to the substrate, in which, the curing unit comprises a heating chamber having a hot plate for heating substrates having the coating solution applied thereon one by one, a cooling chamber communicated with the heating chamber and having a cooling plate for cooling the substrates processed with heat, an inert gas supply mechanism for supplying an insert gas to the heating chamber and the cooling chamber, and an evacuation mechanism for evacuating each of the heating chamber and the cooling chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 1999Publication date: October 30, 2003Inventors: SHINJI NAGASHIMA, HIROYUKI MIYAMOTO, SHIZUO OGAWA, SHINJI KOGA
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Publication number: 20030196595Abstract: Prior to transfer of an wafer W, a mixed gas is being generated and exhausted, thereby fluctuation of concentration and temperature of a solvent component at the beginning of gas introduction into a chamber 3 is suppressed. A step of gelling after the wafer W is carried into an aging unit is divided into several steps. Until a temperature of the wafer W reaches a predetermined treatment temperature, an average concentration of the solvent component in a mixed gas is gradually raised relative to the temperature of the wafer W. Thereby, immediately after the wafer W is transferred into a sealed chamber, the gas of the solvent component is prevented from condensing.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2003Publication date: October 23, 2003Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Kazuhiro Takeshita, Shinji Nagashima, Makoto Muramatsu, Yoji Mizutani, Kazutoshi Yano, Kyoshige Katayama
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Publication number: 20030165787Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for subjecting a substrate on which a coating film is formed to heat processing, and the method comprises the steps of heating the substrate to a predetermined high temperature and decreasing the temperature of the substrate to a predetermined low temperature, wherein in the step of decreasing the temperature of the substrate to the low temperature, a first step of decreasing the temperature of the substrate from the predetermined high temperature to a predetermined intermediate temperature and a second step of decreasing the temperature of the substrate from the intermediate temperature to the predetermined low temperature are performed separately.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2003Publication date: September 4, 2003Applicant: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventor: Shinji Nagashima
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Patent number: 6605550Abstract: In a hot plate for performing heat processing while an inert gas is supplied, a mounting table is provided with a groove and a lower end portion of a lid body can be inserted into the groove. The lid body is lowered in two steps by a lid body drive apparatus. The lid body forms a processing chamber between the lid body and the mounting table by the lowering of the first step, and the lower end portion of the lid body is inserted into the groove by the lowering of the second step, thereby reducing the processing chamber in capacity. Consequently, in a substrate processing apparatus which requires a supply of gas, it becomes possible to reduce the capacity of the processing chamber and to reduce the required amount of gas.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2002Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventor: Shinji Nagashima